Scars
by LadyOfThePens
Summary: It's been five years since Alice left Wonderland. When her daughter ends up there by accident, it's up to Alice to save both her and her father...
1. The Birds of Sorrow

**Author's note:**

**This is my first ever attempt writing AiW, so please don't hate me if this turns out quite awful.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alice in Wonderland or anything in it. (Oh, bugger!) You wouldn't believe me if I said I did, would you?**

**1. The Birds of Sorrow**

Will Darcy sighed slightly; maybe painting portraits wasn't worth it. He did love it, but at times like this… Pursing his lips slightly, he eyed the young mother and her child. Painting the mother wouldn't be a problem; she was a classic beauty with smooth, clear facials. No, what concerned Will was the daughter. She had vivid orange hair that seemed to go every possible direction (and possibly some others as well) at once. Her eyes were a glowing, bright green, and there was a slight gap betwixt her two front teeth. Painting her could be a problem. Nevertheless, she was, if not a beauty, at least a ´pretty.´ Little Isabel seemed to always be happy, lighting a whole room in her joy. The mother, however, was solemn, and often had a misty look in her eyes, as if in deep thought. Yes, Alice Kingsleigh was indeed a curious creature.

* * *

><p>Isabel looked at her mother, or, more specifically, her hair. A bird of sorrow was still nesting there, the awful things. They were horrid and had scary black eyes that were cold. Eyes weren't supposed to look like that; eyes should be warm and caring, like Will's.<p>

_Or like father's._

She had never met her father, but surely he would have the good sense of having the right kind of eyes, Isabel was sure of it. Black eyes meant a black heart, heaved by too much pain and anger.

When she was taken out for walks, Isabel often found it amusing to look at peoples eyes, to see if they were black. If that was the case, she smiled at them, hoping it might send a little light into the darkness.

The bird nesting in Alice's hair gave up a shrill scream of agony and stirred affrightedly.

"Are you sad, mummy?" Isabel lisped cautiously.

Alice jumped; apparently she had been deep down her thoughts again. "No, sweetie, I'm quite fine." The bird said differently, it cried again, a strangled cry this time. It almost sounded like sobbing.

"You were thinking of dad again." This was no question, it was a statement. Isabel could be much too grown-up at times. Then again, the next minute she could be gawping in awe at a common object. It was probably normal, considering who her father was.

"Yes Isabel. I was thinking of your father." Alice did her best to fight back the tears building up behind her eyes.

"Why don't I ever get to see him?" the daughter urged.

"I've told you already. Your father lives in a faraway place, and you are too young to go there."

"You always say that." Isabel almost cried in frustration. "I'm older now, much older."

Alice looked at the soon-to-be four-year old pouting at her. Her expression forced a smile to Alice's face. "I guess you are." she sighed. "But we cannot leave at once." How she hated to have to disappoint Isabel like this. "There are a few things I shall have to first. Do you understand?"

Isabel nodded grumpily; she could see no reason not to leave at the very same moment. Like always when sulking, she went out to the garden. Perhaps the flowers would speak to her just this once. The gardens were vast, and you'd think a little girl like Isabel easily got lost on the many paths. This was not the case. Instead, she swiftly made her way to the very midst, the place where her favourite flowers bloomed.

She knew not their names, but she called them ´Moonflowers, ´ for they looked like pieces of a shattered moon.

"Good afternoon, friends." she said, trying to sound as ladylike as she could. "How are you feeling on this fine day?" When the flowers didn't answer, she muttered "Sons of curs!" under her breath, one of her mother's favourite expressions.

The moonflowers, of course, were not bother in the least, so Isabel quickly bored of talking to them. Instead, her attention was caught by a mysterious ticking noise, pulling the girl towards its source. Being a curious child, Isabel thought not of the consequences of following a strange sound. The ticking led her towards the forest. In fact, it seemed to come from a tree, close to the forest edge.

It was a massive tree, so tall it could surely touch the sky, and wider then three grown men. There was an opening about six feet up, big enough for a small adult to push trough. Isabel climbed there and stuck her head in, still trying to find the mysterious ticking noise. It was much too dark, so Isabel leaned forwards to let some more light in the tree. To do this, she had to change her footing. Then it all went bad.

The branch she stood on was slippery, and she lost her balance, falling head first into the tree.

* * *

><p>Curiously, the fall was a great deal longer then it should be, and there were things floating around Isabel as she fell. Had she been any other girl she would have screamed, but Isabel never felt a reason to scream or cry over a little tumble, and this was no exception, no matter if the fall was much taller then usually.<p>

* * *

><p>A slight <em>thud <em>informed Isabel that she had reached the end. The new surroundings consisted of several doors in various sizes and shapes. Settling for an orange door with a piece of cloth tied around the handle. Isabel reached out a hand, gently pushed it open and stepped out into a haze of a swirling blue mist.

"I think I like it here." Isabel said thoughtfully to herself.

"How delightful." A pair of turquoise eyes appeared in the mist, accompanied by a wide grin. "Tell me, what do you call yourself?"

"Isabel. You don't happen to have any idea where I am, do you?"

"Well," said the grin, slowly expanding to a tabby cat. "I should say you are here, unless, of course, you are, in fact, there."

"And if I'm in neither?"

"Then you must be with the Hare and Hatter. You'd love it there, they're mad, both of them. Come quick, we must find you."

Quite content with this, Isabel followed the strange, flying cat. The Hare and the Hatter, that sounded nice, she decided. It sounded like a place she would like to be at. After all, she loved hats.

* * *

><p>Isabel was not impressed at all. Sure, the Hare was raving mad, but the Hatter was a big disappointment. He <em>was <em>mad, but it was the wrong kind of it, a cold, angry madness. The kind of mad you only found in someone who had lost everything and more. He was even loosing colour! His hair was turning a dull parsnip colour, the original orange colour could only be vaguely hinted, and his eyes were a muddy green. All the rest was plainly different shades of grey.

"Have you any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" Isabel didn't know why she said this, but it seemed to be the worst possible thing to say.

The Hatter's eyes flamed orange and the circles underneath his eyes turned almost black. He yelled at Isabel in some language she did not know of, but, it sounded much like swears. Isabel was hasty to hide behind the trembling Hare, clutching a spoon for protection. A saviour, a white dormouse, stormed out of a somewhat cracked teapot, swinging a hatpin as her sword.

"'Atter! Calm down!" she cried.

With a jump, Hatter stopped his rant, and his eyes faded to grey.

"So sorry…" he whispered, a pronounced lisp sneaking into his voice.

"Look what you've done, ye great lump!" the mouse scolded. "Now 'is eyes 're grey, too."

"I'm sorry. I- I didn't know." Isabel stuttered apologizing.

A golden tear escaped Hatter's eyes and snaked its way down his pale cheek. He sighed shakily. "Still missing." he whispered. "Still gone."

"Who's missing? What's gone?" Isabel placed her small hand on his.

"Alice. That's who's missing, that's what's gone."

Hatter looked so devastated in his loss. Isabel smiled at him and assured him that they would find Alice, no matter what.

**Author's note:**

**Well, that's the first chapter. Anyone stupid enough to have read this will be rewarded with a cookie if they leave a review. **


	2. Little Stranger

**Author's note:**

**Yay me! Here's the second chapter of my first-ever multi-chapter! It feels sort of like I'm actually **_**not **_**wasting my time completely. Or maybe I am, I don't really know…**

**And also a big thanks to the rewiever I at least _think_ I saw. You're worth a cookie, big time!**

**2. Little Stranger**

Tarrant and Time weren't exactly on friendly terms with each other, but this was getting stupid. Being tired of Tarrant trying to kill him, Time decided to leave Tarrant (and his friends) in a limbo where it was always teatime. You'd think having tea forever would be a treat for them, but really, you can only drink this much tea. Life was dull, every day repeating the previous, only interrupted by Chessur's sudden appearances and Thackeray throwing things at anything that moved (mostly Chessur.)

So when a Little Stranger appears all uninvited to yet another tea party, it is quite an excitement to everyone. Hatters included.

There was something familiar about this Little Stranger, something Tarrant couldn't really put his finger on. Then again, he often had troubles remembering things, what with Time running amuck and all. And this Little Stranger seemed nice, after all, it _had _promised to help finding Alice. Therefore, Tarrant had decided he liked the Little Stranger, and hurriedly started leading it towards the White Queen's castle.

"She is very nice, you know. And she knows how to find Alice, she must know, she always knows everything. If she doesn't know, no one does, none at all, and-"

"Hatter!" Little Stranger giggled. "You have to breathe."

Tarrant realised he was turning quite dizzy in the lack of oxygen. Grinning sheepishly, he sat down, waiting for the world to stop spinning around him in this rude manner. This he was used to, he rambled whenever he was nervous, or upset, or confused, which meant he rambled most of the time. Especially whenever Alice was around…

"Why is your Alice so special?" Little Stranger asked sweetly, sitting down beside him.

"I haven't got the slightest idea. All I know is that she makes the world brighter, and whenever she's around, I'm not lost…" Tarrant had to think before continuing. "She's the most stunning creature ever, a champion, but she likes me even though I'm just a hatter."

"You're not just a hatter." Little Stranger said soothingly. "You're a _mad _hatter, aren't you?"

"I'm not mad!"

"But they _do _call you the Mad Hatter?"

There was a slight silence. "I guess I'm a little mad." Tarrant admitted. "But you have to be to survive here."

They kept on walking; Little Stranger actually fell asleep while doing so, waking up with a look on confusion, once it even fell into a puddle for it was so distraught. The fifth time something of that kind happened Tarrant simply carried it, not wanting to waste a moment in the search for his Alice. The small head on his shoulder felt quite soothing, it seemed to be keeping some of the Madness away. Tarrant didn't like the Madness, it scared him something terribly, and one never knew what would happen when he was in it.

_That's probably why Alice left._

Alice must've been frightened he'd hurt her during a Madness. She couldn't know that he'd rather die than ever hurt her. Still, he couldn't tell her that, you couldn't just march up to the Champion of Underland and say "I love you, please don't leave me." That would be improper, wouldn't it? Tarrant wasn't so sure actually. Perhaps he could ask the queen, she usually knew important things. She would probably know why Little Stranger looked so familiar too. Someone who looked _that _odd shouldn't be so hard to remember, should it? There was something about the shape of its eyes and the way its hair danced on her shoulders. Even when he carried Little Stranger that hair seemed to live its own life, swaying along to an unheard melody, ignoring Tarrant's movement.

_The dark. That was what scared him most about his upcoming execution. Not being able to see anything again. And then there was the problem of never seeing Alice again. Tarrant knew he would regret not seeing her again. Still it wasn't _all _bad. He'd be able to meet his family again. _

The memories always started out like that, then they turned against him, trying to scare him back into the Madness. The scene would rapidly change to the battle, to Alice facing the Jabberwocky, and to what so easily could have happened. Tarrant squealed and covered his eyes in a desperate attempt to keep the images out of his mind.

A pair of small, friendly arms wrapped around his neck and Little Stranger smiled at him in a way that helped him pull out of the darkness.

"Were you having bad dreams?" Little Stranger asked, wriggling to get down on the ground.

"I rather not talk of it." With a grim smile, Tarrant placed Little Stranger by the path. "It's too… hard."

"Oh." Little Stranger took hold of his hand again. "What's it like when your eyes turn gray?"

Tarrant pursed his lips slightly. "It's like when the sun goes down and everything looses colour."

Thereafter, they walked in silence, both contemplating on some Question. Tarrant still on who Little Stranger really was, and Little Stranger on how the world would be without colours.

Little Stranger wasn't impressed with Marmoreal, in fact, it seemed not to notice the palace at all. Had it fallen asleep again? Loosely nudging its side, Tarrant steered it towards the big doors.

_Have I broken it?_

"Open the doors!" he yelled. "I might have broken Little Stranger… You must help me repair it, Mirana, for I cannot."

Moments later the doors swung open. The queen stood a few strides away with a look of mixed feelings. There was surprise and fear, but also something you could call mischievous.

"How did this happen?" she asked, an undertone Tarrant disliked much in the question.

"I don't know!" Tarrant cried. "One minute it was fine, and the next it was broken, you must fix it, I need it to remember why it seems so familiar."

"Tarrant." The queen broke his ramblings in a highly effective way. Next, she turned to Little Stranger. "How are you, dear?" she asked mildly.

Little Stranger screamed.

**Author's note:**

**I made a cliff-hanger! I did some different attempts on this, but had to decide this was the best. This chapter was really quite hard to get readable, and I don't blame you for being confused. I think I'm a little confused myself…**


	3. A Meeting and An Annoying Rabbit

**Author's note:**

**I'm uploading quite often, aren't I? Anyways, that's about all I had to say at the moment, so I'm actually just wasting your, and mine, precious time. How's THAT for bad planning? Btw, is it just me, or are the names on these chapters just getting longer?**

**3. A Meeting and An Annoying Rabbit**

Alice was rummaging the entire house a second time, more and more worried. There were many places a child could be hiding in, but surely she must have searched in all of them now. Her hand hovered over the telephone a moment whilst she considered calling the police. She moved it away, however, instead cupping her ears, trying to find out from where that noise was coming. Alice was certain she had heard it earlier…

_McTwisp!_

That pesky rabbit! For years she'd been hoping he might turn up and bring both herself and Isabel to Wonderland. Of all days to turn up, he _had _to choose the one Isabel went missing. That figures.

Everybody thought Alice mad already, and she did not wish to give them another reason to think so. "Go away." she mouthed at McTwisp. "I can't talk to you right now."

McTwisp didn't leave; he waved at Alice, trying to show her this was very important. With a loud groan, Alice went out to talk to him.

"This better be important." she bitched. "Because I have something I have to do, namely; finding my daughter."

McTwisp paled slightly. "I-I, we, the queen-" he stuttered nervously.

"Spit it out." Alice demanded.

"I know where she is." the shivering rabbit blurted. "She's in Underland. It may have been my fault…"

A moment, Alice considered smacking him. How could he lead her daughter to Underland just like that? Didn't he realise Isabel wouldn't survive very long without a parent?

_But Isabel _does _have a parent in Underland, doesn't she?_

But how was _he _going to take care of a child? Impossible.

"Take me there, McTwisp. Take me to Underland." Alice said, beginning to march in the direction she thought best. "Well, what are you waiting for?"

"You're going the wrong direction." the rabbit pointed out.

* * *

><p>Walking the proper direction was much more effective than Alice's first choice would have been, although she wasn't glad to admit it. Alice didn't like to be wrong, and she didn't like being told she was so by a rabbit. And the fact her daughter was running around in Underland, probably with a madman, mysteriously enough, wasn't really helping.<p>

"Are we there yet?" she whined and then winced, that was exactly what Isabel would have said had she been there. "I mean, how far is it?"

"Not too far, I think you can see it from here." A tired McTwisp assured her. Anything to keep her quiet.

Alice decided to shut up for a while; surely, McTwisp would need to rest his ears. The silence lasted about a minute. "I can't see it." she complained.

Usually, she wasn't the sort who complained, but this time she felt she had a good reason to do so. And why, for the love of all strange, couldn't this annoying excuse of for a hat just move a little faster?

_My daughter is all alone in Underland, probably terrified._

Could McTwisp _possibly _move any slower?

* * *

><p>Isabel was, indeed, alone, but that was the only point where Alice had been right. She was far from terrified, calmly playing with some scraps of fabric, trying to make them become something by simply staring at them. Little need be said for you to know that it wasn't really working out. The girl' attempts continued to fail until she gave up and threw the fabric across the room. There was a faint knock on the door, and soon thereafter the Hatter entered, smiling like mad, which he was.<p>

"Do you have any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" he half-whispered.

"No." Isabel admitted. "Do you have any idea why the fabrics won't do what I want them to?"

The Hatter's smile brightened seemingly. "That I do. I make hats, you know." he said, tipping his slightly.

"I know. That's why they call you Hatter."

"That's why? Oh, dear…"

Hatter sat down next to his new friend, searched his pockets for some threads and fabrics, and started tutoring the girl.

"You see. When making a hat, you must remember that it does, in fact, _not _go on the foot. It goes on the head, see?"

Isabel listened eagerly every once in a while asking questions like; "But why can't you wear it on your foot?" and "What happen if you don't have any pins, will sticks work as well?"

All of a sudden, the Hatter darkened drastically, going back into a scale of different grey colours. He breathed shakily and stood up with great haste. "Alice!" he roared, smashing his creation to small, brightly coloured pieces that contrasted greatly to his white-grey skin.

Unsure of what was happening, Isabel ran. She ran and she ran, not stopping until she ran into a lady, nearly knocking her over.

"What's happened?" the lady asked. "Are you hurt, dear?"

"It's the Hatter." Isabel sobbed. "He's loosing it again."

"I'll send in the guards."

* * *

><p>It took quite a while, but eventually Isabel stopped crying and looked sadly at the lady. She remembered Hatter saying the lady was a queen, the White Queen to be exact. The Queen was White indeed. All white, white hair, white skin, white clothes. But her eyes were black… That's why Isabel had screamed when she first saw the queen. She had thought only bad people had black eyes.<p>

"My eyes are black," the Queen explained. "Because my heart is pained."

"Why? You're a queen; surely you can have anything you want." Isabel stated.

"Almost anything…" the queen sighed and added: "But there are also things I have that I'd never wish for. Being queen, it gives you enemies. Enemies who will do anything to destroy the things you love."

"They destroyed something of yours, didn't they?"

"Yes, Isabel, they did."

Something small hit Isabel's head, causing her to look up. The velvety marble ceiling was cracking in great speed. Isabel had just enough time to step away before a big block of it hit the place she'd been standing on. Before her feet lay several pieces of shattered marble and someone with golden hair.

"Oh dear…" the Queen mumbled.

**Author's note:**

**I made another cliffy? This makes me feel so… evil. Anyways, thanks for reading. There will be a big price (read: nothing but maybe the pride of being right) to whoever can guess who the someone with golden hair is. Or who's Isabel's father. Toodle-pip!**


	4. Stirrings

**Author's note:**

**Hiya! I'm back! You may notice this is uploaded later than the previous ones, and it's all because I was on a scout meeting.**

**I was told to stop being sarcastic about myself, and I wish to apologize. It's cuz I live in Sweden, it's second nature. But I'll try and stop it. Forgive me? And the eternal pride and glory has officially been won by ****xXxSlytherinAtHeartxXx****! *hugs***

**4. Stirrings**

The dungeon in Marmoreal wasn't very nice, Tarrant figured. But they were much better than those in Salazen Grum. In Salazen Grum there was something sticky, probably blood, on the floor, and you got chained to the walls if you were unlucky. In this cell it was dry and clean, and Tarrant could pace back and forth. And he could talk to the guards, even though they usually didn't reply. Mostly, they just gave him odd looks.

Talking to them, however, kept Tarrant from remembering his own stupid acting. He wouldn't be surprised if Little Stranger -no, Little Friend- never wanted to see him again. To be frank, he wasn't so sure _he _wouldn't want to see himself again.

"I am a despicable creature." Tarrant groaned and covered his face with his hands.

Little Friend was so kind, and she reminded Tarrant of his sister and also someone else, but Tarrant still couldn't figure it out.

* * *

><p><em>It was the Horunvendush Day. Tarrant had always enjoyed this day and its celebrations. And the new queen was there, too! She didn't dance, but looked as if she was having a good time.<em>

"_Dance with me, Tarrant!" his sister had laughed, grabbing his hands._

"_Anything for you, dear sister." Tarrant smiled._

_Then they danced, swirling and twirling over the dew-coated grass. Tilly's last Futterwacken… During the dance they got into an argument, and Tarrant stormed off. He never got a chance to apologize. Not long thereafter all was gone. The entire Hightopp clan! But not Tarrant. He was alone in this world._

_Tilly could never forgive him…_

* * *

><p>Tarrant couldn't remember what they had argued about, but he hoped it had been something important. He would have given anything to be able to apologize to Tilly.<p>

"'Ave ye 'eard?" one of the guards caught Tarrant's attention. "Th' champion 'as returned.

_The champion! Alice!_

"_The _Alice?" Tarrant asked, not even bothering to hide his eagerness.

"Aye. Fell through th' ceilin' she did."

"Is she…" Tarrant voice trailed off.

_Please don't let her be dead._

"She's fine. Th' queen 'ad 'er patched up in no time."

Thank the White! Alice wasn't dead! Of course, Tarrant would have preferred it if she wasn't hurt at all, but you can't have everything, can you? Alice wasn't lost anymore. Oh, the joy!

Alice had come back, of course she was back, she had promised to be back before he knew it, and she was back, and he hadn't known, he should have known-

Splendid! Just wonderful. Now even his own treacherous mind was rambling nervously. An odd look from the guard informed Tarrant he'd been speaking it out loud.

"Pardon." Tarrant whispered with a faint smile.

The only reply was a grunt that, by the sound of it, wasn't something very nice to say.

"Could you let me out, so that I may see Alice?"

"Th' queen said ye'd ask. She told me th' say ye're 'ere for yer own good, so ye can't 'urt yourself."

"Why would the queen think-" Tarrant shook his head in disbelief, then he noticed the fresh bandages wrapped around his hands and forearms, some of which the blood had seeped through already. Tarrant yelped and blinked vigorously, as if he could make the damage go away just like that. It must've happened during the Madness (not a very nice word, even though it begun with an `M`), he always got injured during it.

_I've lost it, haven't I?_

He probably had, even though he couldn't decide on what `It` was.

* * *

><p>"Why won't you let me see her?" Alice complained. "She's my daughter."<p>

"You are hurt, Alice. It would pain Isabel to see you like this." Mirana explained once again.

"I'll be better once I get to see her, I'm sure."

Mirana silence a laugh, Alice could be so stubborn at times. "Fine. You can see her, but not too long, you need rest to get better."

The thought of seeing her daughter again actually made Alice look healthier, Mirana noticed. Perhaps love was what Alice needed.

"I'll go get her." Orissa the chambermaid said after a look from the queen, and scurried into the labyrinth-like castle.

"Alice, have I ever told you of one of my biggest losses?" the queen asked, sitting down on her friend's bed.

"No, you haven't. Tell me, Mirana, that's what friends are for."

"Many years ago, there was a man, a pirate who found a way to Wonderland. I was young and naive, and I fell in love with him. He loved me too, or at least so he said, but he could not live in Underland. He almost died. I had to let him go. But that's not all of it." the queen paused, saving up the courage to continue. "I had a child with him. Mother and father wouldn't let me keep my son, they sent him up to Otherland. That's why I've never married, I couldn't love anyone like I loved my pirate." There were tears in Mirana's eyes as she ended her story.

"Didn't you see him ever again?" Alice asked, tears glistening in her eyes as well.

"I did. Once." Mirana smiled bitterly. "He had another woman whom he called mother. Another man he called father. I never had the courage to speak to him… He turned out to be a handsome young man, didn't he? He reminds me of his father."

"I-I don't know, Mirana, I've never met him."

"You have met him many times. I believe he was visiting your residence the other day, painting a portrait if I am correct."

"William Darcy is your son?" Alice gasped.

"That's his name? William… No, I never called him that, his name is Faramund."

Mirana smiled at some distant memory. "I will leave you alone." She strode off, much to Alice's confusion.

The second later, there was a knock on the door. "Hi, mommy!"

**Author's note:**

**That's that and the end of this chapter, unless, of course, it, in fact, isn't. I like to write the Hatter, he's always so strange and sometimes confusing, something I love very much. I like being confused, but it's probably because I'm mad. Ta-ta! (I like that phrase…)**


	5. A Prince?

**Author's note:**

**Today I'm a happy author; do you want to know why? **

**Of course you do, otherwise you wouldn't be reading the A/N. I got a present from my mother; a really nice scarf in my favourite colour, it makes me want to write loads! So it's actually good for both me and you! Let the show go on:**

**5. A Prince?**

Things have a way of changing, whether you want them to or not. Like when you get up one morning, hurry out the door and find yourself to the chin with fresh snow. Or like when you're walking home in the evening, it's still not dark, and you think "Why don't I do this more often?" A few minutes later, the sun has set and it's pitch black, causing you to think "Now it's just getting stupid!" Or one of your friends could turn out to be a lost prince…

Isabel didn't know what to think of what she'd overheard. A prince? He didn't look anything like a prince. Not that Isabel had met a prince. (Actually, she had, but she'd been too young to remember.) And Will had never looked anything like his parents, nor his siblings. The more Isabel thought of it, the more likenesses she found between Will and the Queen.

If Will was a prince, would he still want to be her friend? And even if he wanted to be her friend, could he be? Isabel wasn't found of loosing friends. Thinking of it, she _had _lost a friend; she'd lost the Mad Hatter, hadn't she?

"I want to go see the Hatter!" she declared.

"It's not a good idea." the Cheshire Cat purred. "He's mad, you know."

"You've told me that already." Isabel sighed.

"I _have_?"

"Yes. Chessur, could you help me sneak into the dungeons?"

"What on earth would you want to go there for?" Chessur sounded genuinely interested.

"I want to see the Hatter!"

"It's not a-"

Isabel glared at the unhelpful cat. "Then I'll go by myself."

"Do that. Where're you going?"

Isabel didn't answer him; she simply left, leaving the cat floating around all by himself.

"This will not do at all." the feline tsked. "I'd better tell the queen." And he evaporated into thin air.

* * *

><p>Chessur shouldn't really be able to show up at places whenever he wanted. Whatever had the one to give him these powers been thinking of? Now he'd interrupted and overheard some things he shouldn't be knowing. If Alice wanted him to know, she'd told him, hadn't she? There was nothing to be done about this now; all she could do was to send looks that could've brought a lesser being to tears. The cat, however, wasn't bothered. Cats are, after all, masters of murderous looks.<p>

"How interesting." the cat had purred before hastily leaving the room.

"Whoever would present a cat with evaporating powers?" Alice asked, half to herself.

"One of my forefathers, I fear." Mirana chuckled and sat down again. "How are you feeling?"

"At the moment? Embarrassed, angry, relieved that I won't have to tell him myself."

"Yes. Chessur will have told him before I can say Futterwacken."

Both women laughed heartily at what expression he would have when Chessur told him.

* * *

><p>Chessur would, indeed, have told him right away, if it hadn't been for Isabel. Somehow, she'd sneaked into the dungeons and was talking to Tarrant.<p>

_Ah, yes, I see it now._

Chessur could hardly wait to tell Tarrant, but he decided to wait until Isabel had left.

"I've missed you. It's a lot more fun when you're around." Isabel said fondly, smiling at Tarrant.

"I missed you too, Little Friend. You remind me of someone, but I don't know who. You don't happen to know, do you?" Tarrant lisped.

Isabel giggled. "Of course not, silly. I may be someone I don't know, and then how will I know?"

Now it was Tarrant's turn to laugh, and he -horror of horrors- placed his precious hat on top of Isabel's head. "I haven't the slightest idea. This is a very special hat; it's a buddy-hat. I'll get you one of your own, but this will have to do for now."

"I think it's a beautiful hat!" Isabel cried in joy.

She put her arms around Tarrant and hugged him through the bars. "Thank you."

_That's about enough waiting._

Chessur wasn't a very patient being, and now he didn't want to wait anymore. Not another second. But he could also be evil when he felt like it, thus appearing quite suddenly next to Isabel.

Both Isabel and Tarrant howled in horror, and Chessur couldn't hold back a snigger.

"Hel-lo Tarrant, Isabel." he purred.

"You _scuttish_ cat!" Tarrant growled, slipping into his Scottish brogue.

"Me?" Chessur said with faked innocence. "Oh, dear, what an insult. I am much hurt."

"I wish…" Tarrant muttered. "What do you want, Cat?"

"You really sound like Mallyumkun when you speak to me like that. I believe I prefer it when you're speaking like yourself, or what do you say, Isabel?"

"I'm not sure it matters. He's always himself, no matter what he speaks like." Isabel said in that special way only children, and Tarrant, do.

"Ah. But _who _is he, that's the real question." Chessur grinned.

"He's the Hatter, of course. My friend."

"Is he really? Are you really, Tarrant?"

"I-I think so…" Tarrant said hesitantly, confused by the floating cat. "Who else could I be?"

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps," Chessur allowed himself a dramatic pause. "Isabel's father."

It was at times like this Chessur wished he could have a camera or its likes. This was really something he would've wanted to save for the future. He hadn't had any idea a chin could actually drop that far, but now he was proved wrong, not once, but twice. Thrice if you'd count the guard, which Chessur did. Now he had used his time in a good way. He'd been sure his evaporating powers could come in handy many times, and they just did once more. It was a nice feeling.

"B-but, she, I, how?" Tarrant stuttered sheepishly.

"Oh, I'm quite sure you remember how…" Chessur smiled wickedly.

Tarrant _did _remember, he could tell, the usually pale face blushed as red as the bloody red queens hair had been.

"I'm a father." Tarrant said, as if he couldn't believe he could have such luck. "Isabel's my daughter."

**Author's note:**

**Blast that Chessur, right? If you wonder where the text in the beginning came from, you're not alone. There I was, minding my own business, on my way home from school. Somehow those sentences clinged on to my brain and refused to leave unless I wrote them down somewhere. Well, this is somewhere. There will, sadly, not be a new chapter tomorrow, I won't have access to the internet until Sunday. But I'll probably upload two chapters that day. **

**Till then!**


	6. Silver Clouds

**Author's note:**

**I'm back! Now, who missed me? *glares at everyone, daring them to say they didn't* All of you missed me? Awh, how sweet… **

**While writing the beginning I was obsessing over different colours, which is quite apparent in the descriptions. And this chapter is also the first one to be dedicated: It's dedicated to my friend OhMyTott, because she makes me laugh, and also to The Mad Hatter Rap, which I listened to while writing most of this. Enjoy! (or else…)**

**6. Silver Clouds**

Weather in Underland could be strange, changing from one minute to the next. Isabel learned this while walking in the Tugley Swamps. Not more than ten minutes earlier, the sky had been a bright blue, almost turquoise, with some swirly pink clouds by the paler horizon. It had been quite pretty, actually. Not like now. Now the sky had darkened to a velvety lapis lazuli, streaked with silky silver clouds.

"Oh dear, it looks like rain." came the judgement.

Isabel was proven right, within a few minutes time, a heavy drop of rain hit her face. It bravely clinged on to the tip of her nose, only to plummet towards the ground. This, the first drop, was soon followed by others, all a beautiful shade of lavender. Giggling, Isabel stuck out her tongue, waiting for a drop to land on it. When one did, her eyes widened in surprise. This rain was nothing like the rain at home. It tasted somewhat like strawberries, and also of something else, something exotic, like the fruits that grew in China.

"Curious…" Isabel whispered, half expecting something to reply "Curious indeed." No one did reply, so Isabel said it herself.

The rain kept on falling, more and more, until Isabel was soaked in lavender drops. She realised she couldn't keep on standing out in the rain, she would get a could, and decided to take cover in the now abandoned windmill that lay not far from there.

* * *

><p>Tarrant's eyes was a greenish blue in worry. Why hadn't Isabel gotten back yet? It was getting quite dark outside, soon it would be too dark to find the way at all. Had she wandered off in the wrong direction and lost her way? What if something had happened to her? He didn't think he could bear it if something happened to Isabel, because he was her father, and fathers was supposed to be making sure their daughters weren't harmed, right?<p>

"I'm frightened, Alice." he whispered. "What if she's terribly hurt, or- or dead?"

"You mustn't speak like that!" Alice cried. "I'm sure she'll turn up any minute, fit as a fiddle."

"As a fiddle? That isn't good, children shouldn't be fiddles, fiddles aren't made out of fiddles, are they?"

"Well…" This was all Alice could say before Tarrant got into a rambling fit.

"Or are they made of children, I don't know. Can you make them out of cats? Because if you can, there is a very specific feline, I'd like to turn into a fiddle, or a hat. No, not a hat, he doesn't deserve it. But if he did, would the hat have evaporating powers? And-"

"Tarrant." Alice stopped him with a warm smile.

"Pardon…" Tarrant said with a meek smile.

"Stop apologizing." Alice leaned in on him, and planted a faint kiss on his pale cheek.

* * *

><p>Isabel couldn't really understand how anyone could ever have lived in such a place as the windmill. It was drafty, there was a big hole in the roof, and Isabel was almost sure she'd seen a grey rat scramble across the blackened floor. Could this really be the place her father had lived up till recently? How could someone as colourful and happy as him have lived in such a daft, colourless place? She realised she'd probably have to stay in the windmill quite some time, and that she could just as well have a look around it.<p>

On the bottom floor was only one room, the kitchen, filled with different foods in different states of decompose. Isabel wrinkled her nose at the smell, and decided to leave this room as soon as she could. Instead, she walked up the crooked stairs to the upper floor, divided to three separate rooms. One which was a strange blending of pink frills and miniature weapons. The second of the rooms was even stranger, turned completely upside-down, when Isabel entered it, she fell straight up in the ceiling, then having a tough time trying to climb out again.

Lastly there was the room that had belonged to Isabel's father. There was scraps of fabrics piled up to the ceiling, in some sort of pattern none but the Hatter himself could possibly understand. There was blue fabrics and red fabrics, and also some different fabrics without any colour at all, not even white, more of a transparent non-existent, but still there somehow. Isabel ran her fingers over the smooth surface, wondering over how a fabric like this could be made. Wanting to feel the fabric on all her skin, Isabel wrapped herself in it.

She walked over to the mirror to see how she would look, but there seemed to be something wrong with it, for she couldn't see herself in it.

"Stupid mirror." she sighed.

Then she looked down on herself, perhaps she'd be able to get an idea of how she looked, and couldn't help but gasp. She wasn't there anymore! She could feel her body, but she couldn't see it. Horrified, she threw it of, glad to see her legs and such reappear. There was a sudden rush of cold air, and Isabel found herself staring into a black eye and a black eye patch, shaped as a heart.

"Hello." the man said with a false smile. "What have we here?"

**Author's note:**

**Now this chapter has reached its end. There might be another one a little later, but I'm not at all sure of that. I guess we'll just have to see. Apart from being the first chapter with a dedication, this is also the shortest, or so I think…**


	7. Blazing Flames

**Author's note:**

**Check it out! I **_**did **_**post another chapter today! I'm on fire, baby! Warning: Character death!**

**7. Blazing flames**

Ilosovic Stayne wasn't one to give up easily, quite the contrary actually. He hadn't given up when the wretched red queen -bloody big-head- was running her filthy hands over him. When the Hat Man wouldn't tell him where Alice was he hadn't given up. Some might think he'd given up on Alice, but he had done no such thing. Why would he give up on such a creature? Even though it would have been better had she not been… damaged goods. It was quite obvious this strange child was Alice's daughter, she had her eyes and mouth, and the ring of her voice was similar to how Alice had sounded when she was only a little tyke. Stayne just couldn't understand how she could have chosen the Hat Man. Such awful taste! And now that madman had gotten to her first, a pity.

"What have we here?" Stayne repeated with a sweet smile that hurt his face quite a lot.

"Isa- Darcy. Darcy… Ascot." She was lying, Stayne could see it in her eyes, hear it in her voice.

"I don't believe you. What's your name, child?" the sweetness had left his voice now.

The child refused to answer at all this time, only glaring at him in a way that could probably kill someone, so much poison lay in it. Stayne sighed and raised his hand to slap the girl.

"Such a pretty face… Pity."

His hand met with her cheek, resulting in a squeal of pain, leaving a bright red mark behind.

"Are you going to tell me your name?" he asked harshly.

"Isabel King- Kingsleigh." the girl sobbed, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Good girl."

* * *

><p>Isabel didn't like the man with the patch, not at all. Her cheek still felt like it was burning, even though some time must have passed, for the sun was rising on the sky, just behind the only part of Marmoreal she could see; the tower. It was curious how the sun could make the palace look like it was on fire. A ray of sun broke through a hole in the roof, onto Isabel's back. How was that even possible? Her back wasn't turned to the sun, it was turned the other way. Where did the sun usually go up? It didn't go up behind the castle, it went up on the other side… Then the palace must really be on fire!<p>

* * *

><p>Despite the worries for Isabel, Alice had somehow managed to fall into a light sleep, haunted by nightmares. She was unfairly woken up by a crackling sound, much like when she'd lightened a fire in the fireplace at home. A soothing, homey sound.<p>

_I don't remember Marmoreal having a fireplace…_

_It doesn't!_ Alice realised with a start, sitting up so quickly her vision got almost black for a while. Marmoreal was on fire!

"Fire!" Alice screamed, loud enough to awaken the dead.

All hell broke loose. In the chaos of servants and various creatures running in all possible direction, no one noticed the knave of hearts standing amidst them, grinning wide enough to turn the Cheshire cat green in envy.

* * *

><p>Tarrant had always felt uncomfortable around fire, it reminded him of how Witzend was destroyed, and it still hurt him.<p>

_Really, Tarrant? After all these years?_

"Always…" he sighed.

There was no way escaping it, he, Tarrant Hightopp, was frightened beyond belief, curled up in a corner of the throne room, covering his ears, as if to keep the terrified voices out of his mind. The voices stayed there nevertheless.

_I'm going to die, I'm sure of it. We're _all _going to die!_

He would probably had stayed in the room and actually have died there, had it not been for someone entering, someone with an eye patch. Stayne! The knave approached the shimmering crown that still lay there with a look of greed in his one eye.

"Underland will be mine…" he whispered, reaching out for the alluring treasure.

Tarrant was still frightened, but he put that aside, Underland needed someone to save them, and that someone would have to be him.

"There will be no such!" he roared, rising up in all his length, eyes flaming orange. "Underland will never be yours!"

"Is that so?" Stayne sneered. "And who's going to stop me?"

"I will."

"You? Allow me to laugh." Stayne did so, a cruel laugh that sent chills all up Tarrant's spine.

Stayne drew his sword, ready to slay the Mad Hatter in a single swipe. He charged at Tarrant, who swiftly moved out of the way, stealing the champion's sword from the statue that had been risen over Alice's victorious defeat of the feared Jabberwocky.

"You wish to fight me, Hat Man?" Stayne smirked, allowing another laugh to slip. "Come on then."

They fought furiously, swords clanking together, sending small sparks around the fighting pair. It seemed Stayne had the upper hand, being trained in the arts of duelling. His blade bit into Tarrant's upper arm, causing the Hatter to wince in pain. His blood dripped down on the floor, turning it red and slippery. Being wounded turned out to be the thing to save Tarrant as Stayne lunged forwards, trying to impale the other man on his sword. The knave slipped on the crimson puddle, landing with a painful _thud _on his back.

Tarrant waved his sword dangerously close to the knave's throat, leaving a red streak on the skin. With a gasp, Stayne's hand flew to the wound, which was now bleeding vigorously, Tarrant must've struck a vein or something like that. The blood loss turned the knave a ghastly pale, within minutes it was obvious he was going to die.

* * *

><p>Stayne was in pain, that annoying Hatter had actually defeated him. He was going to die, and he knew it. The Hatter stood leaning above his dying form, looking both disgusted and happy beyond belief.<p>

"Look at me…" Stayne whispered.

The Hatter looked confused, but did as he said, not daring to disagree to a dying man's last wish.

"What is it?" he asked.

"If I can't have Alice…" Stayne had to pause to breathe. "Neither can you."

Using his last powers, Stayne stuck his dagger into the Hat Man's chest, then everything turned black around him.

**Author's note:**

**Please don't kill me? Things will turn out fine in the end, promise! And I take no credit in the lines I "borrowed" from Harry Potter.** **I do not own those lines, neither do I own Harry Potter. I simply thought they would be fun to use… The Hatter situation will be solved in the next chapter, or the one that follows.**


	8. Things That Begin With the Letter A

**Author's note:**

**An empty room. There's the sound of crickets in the background. **

**Just when you start to shift uncomfortably, LadyOfThePens comes running up to the screen.**

**LOTH: *pant pant* I'm sorry I did this to the Hatter! It wasn't even *pant* my fault! It was those damned plot-bunnies! Anyways, read and enjoy! *keeps on running, hunted by upset fans***

**8. Things That Begin With the Letter A**

Death was much more painful than Tarrant could ever have imagined. It was bright, at first it was calming, and then it grew stronger until it felt like Tarrant's eyes was on fire. He wanted to cover them, to do anything, but he couldn't feel his arms, nor could he feel his face. The only thing he could actually feel was a throbbing ache just behind his burning eyes and a dull pain just above his heart. He'd always thought that, when it was his time to `go, ´ he'd be going to heaven. Apparently, he was wrong. Heaven wouldn't be painful, he was sure of it.

_So this is what hell's like?_

To be honest, Tarrant had expected hell to be more, well, _crowded_, so maybe this wasn't hell after all. But then what was it? He hadn't been aware there was a third place one could turn up. Maybe there hadn't been a third place. Maybe it had turned up because _he _turned up. It may not be a very logical solution to the problem, but Tarrant wasn't known as a logical being. And also, he reasoned, had this been hell, that awful Stayne would be there.

The mere thought of the knave made Tarrant's eyes blaze orange, he could feel it through the burning. But, seeing there was a lack of stains around here, this couldn't be hell. Tarrant laughed at the pointless humour, what did it matter to make jokes when one was dead? But if he really was dead, then why could he know what he was thinking and feeling? Dead people didn't feel nor think, did they? All this thoughts made Tarrant's non-existent head to throb dangerously.

_What would it look like if a head that isn't really there blew up?_

He'd probably have the answer to that in any minute now, judging by how engorged his brain seemed to be. At this point, Tarrant decided that he didn't like being dead. Thinking of it, there were a lot of things he didn't really like. Cold tea, for example. It was awful when your tea got all cold and you had to warm it up before you could drink it. You _could _drink it even if it was cold, but no sane person enjoyed it. Thackeray seemed to like it, though. Then again, Thackeray maybe wasn't the sanest there was. But he was a friend, a friend that usually was there when Tarrant was in need of someone. Or when he needed someone to throw an UFP (Unknown, flying projectile) at him…

_And they say _I'm_ mad!_

Not everyone called him mad, though, his friends never did. Alice never did. Alice was so much more than a friend, and just the fact she'd never called him Mad made Tarrant's heart swell in joy. She'd called him Hatter, or sometimes Tarrant… He loved the way his name sounded coming from Alice's lips. He loved how every word sounded coming from Alice…

Alice. That was a very lovely word that began with the letter A. There were many very lovely words that begun with an A. Angel, because Alice was like an angel. Adorable. Because that's what Alice was. Amazed, because that was how Tarrant felt every time he saw Alice's face. There probably was several more, but these were the only ones Tarrant needed. Was… Had been… Is… Tarrant didn't know _how_ he should be thinking at the moment. Death was being quite difficult to him.

* * *

><p>Tarrant realised the light was going out, getting damper, leaving brightly coloured blobs of colour imprinted in his field of vision. Was <em>this<em> what it was like dying? Had the previous events been his last moments in life?

_How depressing…_

"Tarrant…" an angelic voice whispered as the blobs slowly gained real forms. "Please don't die. I love you."

It was odd how heavy his lips felt. "Alice." he managed to whisper through the numbness.

The angel left him and started talking to someone else nearby. "Is he going to be all right?"

"I think the crisis has passed now, but he still has a long way to go before he is well again." the Other Person replied.

"But he won't die?" the angel asked, more eagerly now.

"No, no he won't."

The angel exhaled, for she had been holding her breath during the short paus before her question was answered. There was a light sensation on Tarrant's lips, the angel kissed him, then he drafted into a darkness, just as black as the light had been white.

* * *

><p>The black, strangely enough, hurt Tarrant more than the white had done. He couldn't really figure how this could be working, but he didn't like this either way. But, this time, he figured a way to make the pain, or at least some of it, go away. He could remember things. The good memories, like the first time he met Alice…<p>

* * *

><p><em>Alice sat down in an arm-chair at the end of the table, despite the fact both Tarrant and Thackeray had yelled "No room! No room!" at the top of their lungs.<em>

"_Have some wine." Thackeray said in an encouraging tone._

_Alice looked all round the table, but there was nothing on it but tea._

"_I don't see any wine." she remarked._

"_There isn't any." said the March Hare._

_Alice had been saying other things, but Tarrant hadn't been paying attention. He had been busy staring at Alice's beautiful blonde hair. _

"_Your hair needs cutting." he finally said, silently cursing himself for saying such a stupid thing._

"_You should learn not to make personal remarks," Alice said with some severity: "it's very rude."_

_It _was_? Tarrant's eyes widened in amazement on hearing this, but all he managed to say was "Why is a raven like a writing-desk?"_

_The conversation had carried on for some time, ending with Tarrant and Thackeray trying to stuff Mallyumkun into a teapot for falling asleep all the time. She did this only because she was due to hibernate very soon, Tarrant had learned soon thereafter._

* * *

><p>Tarrant figured he could have handled that first meeting in a better way, but it was too late to do something about it now. Ever since then, Tarrant couldn't stop being amazed by Alice, and her hair.<p>

He opened his eyes after what seemed like a whole lifetime, finding himself looking into Alice's azure eyes. Azure, that was another lovely word that begun with an A.

"Your hair needs cutting." he whispered with a crooked grin.

**Author's note:**

**Whoa, I've been writing three chapters within twelve hours! That's cool! It would probably have been more, but I got stuck in hell… TWICE! First the hell known as a car when carsick, then the even worse hell known as IKEA! (insert scary music here) **

**I'm happy the Hatter didn't die, because, when other girls are waiting for a knight in shining armour, I'm only waiting for my Mad Hatter. 3 And I do not own the bit from Alice in Wonderland, in this case, Charles Dodgson does.**


	9. Seven Dances

**Author's note:**

**I'm back again. And I also have a serious headache from staying up till half past twelve last night, so that I could finish the eight chapter. But I'm writing anyway, good for you! And me…**

**9. Seven Dances**

Recovering was boring. There was nothing one could do, not even tea. Apparently, it wasn't very good to drink "all that sugar" when you had almost died. Tarrant had never, in his entire life, heard something quite as stupid, and he had heard many dumb things. After all, he had been living with the March Hare for a decade, and what you hadn't heard by then probably wasn't that stupid anyway. As soon Mirana allowed him to get out of bed, he flitted around the castle, doing whatever thing he could find that he wasn't allowed to do "in his state."

_Bah! Humbug!_

Presently he was attempting to climb up a statue, just to see if it would hold, for he had overheard Mirana saying climbing on things was bad even when you weren't almost dead. Therefore Tarrant had set out to find the most pointless thing he could find, and then climb it. He was quite sure he wouldn't be able to find anything more pointless than a statue of a tree, standing indoors, in the attic. If not pointless, it at least was the strangest statue he'd seen this far. His daredevility was stopped before he could climb more than to the first branch.

"I don't think you should be doing this." Alice said, with a faint smile that took the seriousness out of her statement.

"But I have nothing to do. And I think climbing may be just as good as anything else." Tarrant beamed at her.

"Please, Tarrant, get down from there." Alice begged him.

With a groan of mock sadness, Tarrant managed to get himself out of the tree, and onto his face.

"Now my face hurts…" he moaned.

"I _told _you not to climb." Alice told him, wearing a I-told-you-so expression.

She had told him so. Twice, or at least that was how many times he could remember her saying it.

"How are you?" Alice asked, her voice filled with concern.

"I think I may have lost my head…" Tarrant winced.

"You'd already lost it." Alice reminded him.

"Oh, right. Then I suppose I'm fine."

Careful not to dislocate the bandage, he got back up on his feet, a slight befuddled expression in his eyes.

"I'm considering things that begin with the letter L. Lame… Lost… Lice… A lice. Alice." Tarrant giggled, one of his loud extravagant giggles that made most people feel uncomfortable. "The ball… In celebration of your return, I mean. Were you thinking of going with someone?"

"No, I don't think I'll be going, dances are extraordinarily boring." Alice sighed.

"Quite the opposite! I've never been to a dance in Otherland, but I am quite sure they're different to the once we hold in Underland. I'm sure you would enjoy it."

"I don't know any of the Underland dances."

"I could teach you!" Tarrant exclaimed, almost too eagerly, grasping Alice's hands in his. "There are seven dances, six of which I can teach you." He started leading Alice in the first dance, thus beginning the first of six lessons.

* * *

><p>Alice couldn't help but notice, hope, the way Tarrant looked at her. And she didn't blame him, after all, she was the mother of his child. The hours seemed to fly when he was tutoring her in the six dances, and something seemed like it was growing inside of Tarrant during these days.<p>

"Alice…" he whispered during a slower dance. "Do you remember I was contemplating on words that begin with the letter L? I found another one."

"Oh? What is it, then?" Alice breathed against his cheek.

"Love." came the answer that made Alice's heart swell. "I love you Alice."

He let his lips brush against Alice's a second, and when she didn't seem to have something against it, he got bolder, kissing her properly.

"I love you too." Alice mumbled, kissing him back.

"Hel-lo, Tarrant." a familiar, feline voice purred.

The pair pulled apart from each other, both glaring at the Cheshire cat.

"What do you want, cat?" Tarrant snarled.

"The queen wishes to see you both." Chessur smirked, then disappeared again, just missing out on Alice's chocked laughter.

"That cat never seize to amaze me." she smiled.

"He never seize to irritate _me_." Tarrant replied. "We should probably go to see the queen, yes?"

"Yes." Alice sighed. "Yes we should."

* * *

><p>Mirana looked upon Alice and Tarrant with a smile.<p>

"I am glad, " she said: "That you are feeling better. Are you well enough to attend the dance?"

"More than well enough, your majesty." Tarrant said with a slight bow.

"Am I correct in believing you will be Alice's company?"

"I would be delighted to."

"Then it's settled. And, Tarrant." Mirana added with a wink. "If you're waiting for a Moment, the dance would be a good place."

* * *

><p>The evening of the dance was upon them, and Tarrant feared he might be getting cold feet.<p>

_No, that's absurd! She kissed me, right?_

She did, but what if she'd only gotten caught up in the moment? Five years was an awful long time, what if she didn't actually love him anymore. Then he'd be standing there, looking like a complete idiot. Tarrant fumbled nervously with the little box in his pocket, breathing shakily.

_Stop it, Tarrant. It's just a case of nerves._

Taking a very deep breath, Tarrant walked out the door, towards the merry sounds from the dancers.

_Don't forget your muchness._

Tarrant's face was lit by a little smile the moment he saw Alice, looking beautiful as ever in a dress that looked almost like the evening sky; blue, flecked with pale pink and yellow, and even some stars that seemed to be woven into the fabric.

_You can do this._

**Author's note:**

**Everyone has been waiting for this moment, right? A real, actual kiss between Alice and Tarrant! Enjoy it, and prepare for something you probably have expected to happen. In the meantime, listen to "Don't come around here no more" by Tom Petty and the heartbreakers, this chapter was written during a fit when I refused to listen to any music except that song. **


	10. Impossible Things

**Author's note:**

**Hiya! I'm back again. That's actually all I have to say. And queue the chapter: (insert trippy music here)**

**10. Impossible Things**

Alice had been part of decorating the castle for the dance, and yet she was knocked breathless by its beauty. The big hall had been decorated in shimmering silver, all the way up from the floor to the little balcony. On the ´shelf´ stood Tarrant, happily waving for her to join him. Hastily making her way up the little staircase leading to the balcony, and Him.

"I've been waiting for you, Alice." Tarrant smiled, looking stunning as ever with his vigorously orange hair and, oddly, lavender eyes.

"How long?" Alice asked.

"All my life. Alice…" Tarrant took a deep breath. "I should have told you from the first time I lay eyes on you: I love you with all my heart, and I always have."

Alice suddenly realised everyone attending the ball had silenced and was watching her and Tarrant, displaying all emotions between confusion and admiration, jealousy and happiness.

"And I know I'm just a hatter, and you're the champion. But," Tarrant continued, lowering himself down on one knee, frantically searching his pockets. "Would you marry me?" He found what he'd been looking for, a small dove blue box, and presented it to Alice.

* * *

><p>Alice couldn't believe her ears, or eyes either. Had Tarrant really proposed to her? And in a way similar to that dreadful engagement party she'd been forced to, the one where Hamish had proposed to her.<p>

"I- I need a moment." Alice ran for it, out of the castle, and into the garden. There she sat down and shook her head in disbelief.

"Why, Alice, you seem to be out of your breath. What seems to be the trouble?" Chessur appeared, his grin a little less wide than usually.

"Tarrant proposed to me." Alice whispered, white in shock.

"Then you really shouldn't look that sad. You love him, don't you?" Chessur asked, swooping down to sit next to her. "Well, do you?"

"I do love him. I love him beyond everything else in this world, it's only that I was taken by surprise, that's all."

"You didn't give him an answer?" Chessur gasped. "Left him standing there without an answer? How could you do that to him?"

"Stop it, Chess! I don't know." Alice cried. "Just let me be alone."

Chessur, looking incredibly offended, disappeared into thin air, leaving Alice to ponder the situation. She did love Tarrant, but the thought of getting married frightened her.

_I should marry him. It wouldn't be proper having it another way, especially seeing as we have a child._

But this wasn't London, things probably didn't have to be proper here…

_But I love him!_

All this thoughts made Alice head spin in a manner that made her almost sick.

* * *

><p>Tarrant stared at the wall behind where Alice had stood. All of the hall was still silent, too chocked to figure something else out. Except for Mallyumkun, who was sporting a sunny smile, and the Tweedles, who had no clue what was actually going on.<p>

"Alice?" Tarrant whispered sadly, tears gleaming in his eyes.

He had asked himself; what was the worst that could happen? Now he knew. Nothing could possibly feel worse than being left without an answer, could it?

_If I jumped, would it hurt more?_

Tarrant looked down over the railing, squinting at the floor way down below. Yes, it would probably hurt, but not more than this did. He made a shaky movement towards the edge, getting ready to jump, when he was saved by a shriek of horror.

"Don't jump, Tarrant. I love you!"

"Alice!" Tarrant chortled, principally throwing himself at the girl. "You're back."

"I shouldn't have left, ever." Alice whispered, tears streaming down both of their cheeks. Yet, none of them were sad. Not the slightest bit sad actually. "Do you remember that I used to believe in six impossible things?"

"How could I ever forget anything about you?" Tarrant chuckled at the absurdity of this. "Don't you still believe in those things?"

"I do believe in them. But now I believe in a seventh impossible thing."

"Oh? How interesting, do tell me, please."

"I'm going to marry a crazy, mad, wonderful hatter." Alice smiled.

"That's nice, who is he?" Tarrant asked, trying not to show her how sad these words made him.

"It's you, silly."

Alice reached up and kissed Tarrant, who was now wearing an expression of utter joy and chock. The crowd, having listened eagerly all the time broke into a cheer and some sighs of: "How cute they look together," coming from Mirana. Everything was perfect.

* * *

><p>Nothing could possibly ever be perfect again. How could Tarrant propose to that great lump? She'd left him, twice. Thrice counting running off like that when he proposed. It made Mally feel sick. No, worse than sick! Was there something worse than sick? Mally didn't know, but there ought to be. Probably something related to a cat or some other despicable creature that ate mice.<p>

_I wonder if I could get Chess to eat me?_

Nah, the stupid feline wouldn't eat someone he considered a friend. Even though he were a cat, he'd rather die than eat Mally, so that leaved _that _option out.

_But what about a suicide-pact?_

Mally could practically imagine herself asking Chess to help her commit suicide.

"_Hey, Chess, want to eat me?"_

"_No, not really…"_

"_But what if you eat me, then I stick you trough the wall of your stomach. That way we both die."_

Chess would just laugh at her, and then go tell everyone he came across of it. That wasn't any good. As if on cue, named cat turned up next to her.

"Hi, Mally." he said awkwardly.

"Hi Chess. Do you want to eat me, by any chance?" Mally sobbed.

"No, not really…"

Mally giggled at this, reasons unknown to Chessur, then smiled at him.

"Do you think I will ever be happy again?" she whispered.

"I don't think so. I _know _so." Chess purred, cradling the white mouse in his fluffy tail.

"Promise?" she sniffled.

"Promise. Do you want to return to the dance?"

"No, not really."

This time, both of them giggled, and none knew the reason.

**Author's note:**

**Weeeell… I don't really know **_**what **_**to say about this. Anyone else noticed Chess changes from time to time, depending on what I need him to be? That's weird since he's one of the most adorable things ever alive, apart from the Mad Hatter, of course. I'm not too happy how this chapter turned out, though. But I guess we'll have to live with it...**


	11. Like Cat and Mouse

**Author's note:**

**Apologies… I seem to have kind of, sort of, forgotten about Isabel… Oupsies! But no worries, she got back the day of the fire, but I was writing Tarrant's POV, and he was unconscious… Sorry anyway. And that's the story of why part of this chapter is Isabel's POV! (Don't you just love it when thing make sense like that?)**

**11. Like Cat and Mouse**

Since she'd returned from the windmill, much thanks to Chessur) the day of the fire, Isabel had had a reoccurring nightmare about that awful man -Stayne, she had been told. Her mother had been much happy to see Isabel again, safe and sound, but the relief of Isabel not being dead was somewhat quenched in the near-death of the Hatter. When the nightmares appeared, Isabel would wake up to find herself crying in some remote part of the palace, never the same, though. She's sleepwalked several times before, but not as far as she did now, and not while crying. Isabel hardly ever cried.

This particular morning, she found herself on the balcony, shivering in the cold morning. She wiped the tears, some of which had frozen into perfect spheres of ice, of her cheeks, muttering to herself:

"If this continues, I shall have to tie myself down when I am to sleep, ant that shan't be very pleasant at all."

Seeing as she was at the balcony, a place she, strangely, wasn't allowed at, she figured she could might as well enjoy the moment. The railing was much taller than her, so she walked up to the bench, standing on it, she would be able to look down at the gardens and listen to the flowers waking up. The bench was already occupied, by something cute enough to make Isabel go: "Awh. How cute."

At the, partially covered in frost, lay Chessur, fast asleep, curled up around a small white mouse. Both of them wore calm, happy expressions, even in their sleep. Fighting off the urge to wake them up, Isabel slowly began making her way towards the door.

_Snap!_

A twig broke underneath her foot, breaking the silence much easier than it should be able to do.

"Oh, snap!" Isabel cursed as the sleeping pair woke up, with so befuddled expressions Isabel couldn't do anything but laugh. "I apologize for disturbing your nap." she managed to say between the giggles.

The mouse blushed, Isabel didn't really understand how fur could blush, and Chessur's grin seemed to get a little less wide and toothy.

"I severely regret saving you…" Chessur growled, chasing Isabel into the castle again. "Go back to bed!"

* * *

><p>Alice woke up with a throbbing headache; blame it on too little rest. She yawned and stretched when something on her finger caught her attention. It took a few seconds to remember why there was a ring on her finger, then it struck her.<p>

_I'm engaged!_

"It's nothing special." Tarrant had said, referring to the ring. "But I thought it would be proper to give you something of mine. It used to be one of my thimbles, see?"

Alice could see it very well, now that the sun had risen. The ring was made out of silver, just like Tarrant's thimble, quite obviously, had been, with small blue gems inlaid in the metal. `Alice-blue,´ Tarrant had fondly named the colour. But it could never be `nothing special,´ it was a part of the man she loved. The crazy, mad, wonderful hatter!

There was a faint knock on the door, followed by the voice of previously mentioned hatter. "Alice? May I enter?"

"You may." Alice felt her cheeks turn bright red. Why on earth was she blushing _now_?

Tarrant entered the room, he too blushing. Why would they need to blush? They were betrothed, for crying out loud.

"How are you, Alice?" he whispered shyly.

"Never better."

Tarrant awkwardly leaned against the wall, looking at Alice in a curious manner.

"What are you looking at?" Alice asked.

"I was thinking of a thing you've told me. Imagining all the ladies wearing trousers, and the men wearing dresses. I daresay you look absolutely stunning in trousers. I should have know, you look stunning in whatever you wear."

"Likewise." Alice smiled at the unexpected compliment. She could get used to this.

* * *

><p>It seemed to Isabel everyone was in an awkward situation this morning. Firstly she'd found Chess cuddled up with a white mouse, then she'd found her parents sitting <em>much <em>too close, at least in Isabel's eyes. But what scared Isabel the most was the Queen sitting at the floor of her room, holding a yellowed piece of parchment in her hand, silvery tears dripping onto the handsomely written letters. When she spotted Isabel, she flinched and hid the parchment in a drawer.

"I didn't see you there, Isabel." she gasped, wiping her wet cheeks in great haste. "Do come in."

Isabel was almost frightened to enter. "A-are you sure?" she stuttered.

"I'm sure." the Queen smiled at her. "Would you like to hear a story?"

"Yes, please."

"Then do sit down." When Isabel finally did so, the Queen started telling the story in a sombre voice. "Once upon a time, there was a pirate. He was mighty and feared all over the seven seas of Otherland. One day when he was sailing the ocean he came across a deep abyss. Being unable to steer away, the pirate and his ship was sucked into it. When he woke up again, he wasn't in Otherland anymore, he was here in Underland. There were also two princesses in Underland, and the younger of them fell in love with the pirate, and he with her. They… They had a baby. A brief moment, everything seemed perfect." the Queen smiled humourlessly. "Then that moment ended. The pirate could not live in Underland, he didn't belong here. He had to leave. The princess' parents got furious when they learned of her child; the boy was sent to live in Otherland. And then, none of them lived happily ever after."

"What was his name?" Isabel whispered.

"Faramund."

**Author's note:**

**Please review. Or, or… Or I'll send Snape at you, and he'll say: "Coward! Ten points from Gryffindor!" And we wouldn't want that, now do we? Or perhaps you do? This only makes sence if you know what I'm referring too... **


	12. Questions and Answerers

**Author's note:**

**I have returned once more! And you know, DruidArcher, it's not very nice to set off stink bombs in anyone's office, especially Snape's. He is one of the bravest, kindest, gentlest, **_**sexiest **_**men I know. (That was a quote, I'm not sure I agree in all that…)**

**12. Questions and Answerers**

Sometimes Alice missed the dull society life she'd left behind, but then her family would cheer her up; Isabel with one of her creations, she'd inherited her father's skills, or Tarrant would cheer her up merely by entering the room and smiling at her. Well, merely wasn't the word when it came to anything related to Tarrant, but it was the best word Alice could think of. The hustle and bustle of planning a wedding was somewhat of a surprise to her; when Margaret got married, things went on much smoother. It was probably due to the many differences between Underland and London. When Alice asked Mirana of the rites, the Queen only smiled and told her it was a secret.

"Mirana." Alice kept on asking. "Why is it some can't live in Underland?"

Her friend paused in her tracks a moment, thinking of what to answer. "I'm not sure." she finally said. "I think the Alice's are the only who could live here."

"The Alice'_s_, as in several of them?" Now Alice, too, stopped.

"Yes. There have been a few of them, five, counting you, if my memory is correct."

"But what happened to the other Alice's?"

Mirana didn't answer at once, instead she bent slightly to listen to what the roses had to say. After a pause so long Alice was beginning to think her question would be left unanswered, the Queen spoke again: "They died."

"Died?" Alice cried. "How?"

"The Jabberwocky has haunted Underland longer than you think, Alice. It has been around since the dawn of our land. All the Alice's were thought to be the right, proper one, but they failed in their quest, sending a new time of horrors upon us." There was a brief paus. "Their paintings still hang in the castle. I could show them to you if you'd like."

"I _would_ like that."

"Then follow me."

* * *

><p>If you were to throw a glance at the paintings, you would think they were all of the same girl; blonde, blue eyes and a determined expression. But if you were to look closer, you'd notice the many differences. The Alice's was all different ages; the oldest with greying hair, the youngest still merely a child, less than fifteen years old. One of the Alice's wasn't even an Alice, it was an Alexis, but he'd been one of the Alice's nevertheless. And if you looked even closer, you would notice someone standing in the background; a man, or, in Alexis case, a woman, all of which wearing hats on vibrantly coloured hair.<p>

"Ah, the Hatters." Mirana explained.

"There was Hatters as well?" Alice asked.

"Of course there was; someone willing to help the Alice if she, or he, lost her muchness. They were… destined for each other, one way or another."

"What happened to the Hatters?"

"When the Alice died, the Hatter would fall into the madness, and, eventually, die. The love betwixt the two were too strong for the survivor to carry on with his, or hers, life."

Alice realised she'd started crying, and wiped her cheeks with an embarrassed face. "So if I had died during the great battle, so would Tarrant?"

"Yes, I'm afraid of that."

"At least then I wouldn't have this wedding to worry for, would I?" Alice joked.

"No, you wouldn't. Just be patient, Alice, this is the way weddings are arranged in Underland. The bride mustn't know anything of the preparations."

"But why?"

"It is bad luck. No more of this now, I must get back to business."

* * *

><p>Tarrant enjoyed himself when he could use his hands to create something; the excitement lay in not knowing exactly what it would turn out to be. Sometimes, he had thought he was making a hat, only to find it being a doll when he had finished it. The doll had worn an expression similar the Chessur's, and it had freaked Tarrant so much it'd ended up in the trash bin. There it had been found by one of Bayard's offspring's, and the current whereabouts of the doll was known by none. But now, Tarrant had to make sure his creation would turn out as a dress, there was no time for mistakes.<p>

"Blue…" he mumbled, frantically searching the pile of blue fabrics, apparently, none of them was good enough. Not for Alice. "Why isn't there any blue?"

"There's _lots _of blue." Chessur pointed out.

"Yes, yes, of course. But none is the right one; the right, proper Alice-blue."

"I thought you had lots of Alice-blue?"

"Ah, yes. But where?" Tarrant scratched his orange head, rummaging the next pile; perhaps the blue had sneaked into the reds, that could very well happen.

Chessur gave up a sigh. "Is _this _what you're looking for?" He flicked his tail towards the workbench, where, indeed, a roll of Alice-blue lay.

"Chess, do you have any idea why a raven is lake a writing desk?"

The cat gave up; Tarrant would have to make the dress by himself.

* * *

><p>Mirana had finally found what she had been looking for; an old, rusty medallion; the only thing that was left of her beloved. She slowly opened it, pulling a face at the loud creaking coming from it. The picture inside it was yellowed with age and covered into dust; she could hardly make out the picture anymore. She didn't really have to look at the picture to remember Him, he would constantly be on her mind, ever to the day she died, or longer…<p>

"He wouldn't remember me…" she sighed.

"Who wouldn't remember you?" Isabel had sneaked up behind her, partly because she was bored, partly because she liked the Queen. "Him?" she added, pointing at the picture.

"Yes, him. His time has passed in your world." the Queen answered without looking at the girl.

"Who is he?"

With the ghost of a smile, Mirana whispered the name she'd decided on never speaking again.

**Author's note:**

**I'm not telling you who the pirate is. It's a secret I'll be keeping till this story is done. I'll probably be writing a prequel, about Mirana and her long lost love, and it's more fun if you don't know exactly who he was. Now, as the Swedish Tigger would say: HDSL! Hejdå så länge! **


	13. Sticks and Stones

**Author's note:**

**I'm going to reveal two things about the pirate. One; he's from pirates of the Caribbean. Two; he is **_**not **_**Blackbeard. Blackbeard's ewwy… Or I might be the only one to think that, am I? Does anyone know how to get a song out of your head? Tell me, please!**

**13. Sticks and Stones.**

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can hurt me not." Alice glared at the upset, loudly cursing, Mallyumkun. Who'd think talking about Chessur's annoying habit of spying on everything and everyone? Mallyumkun had gotten into a rage; yelling about Alice shouldn't be talking lake that and what a great lump she was, and she didn't deserve someone like Tarrant in her life. She didn't deserve anyone, at least not according to Mallyumkun. "Oh, shut it, Mally." Alice sighed, carefully shoving the mouse off her knee.

"Watch it!" Mallyumkun cried, scattering over the floor in an upset manner.

Alice stared at the disappearing form, dumbstruck. "I do wonder what that was all about." she mumbled feebly once she'd regained her voice.

The past few days had been exhausting; Alice was tired and easily confused due to much too little sleep. There was so much that had to be done she'd had to stay up all night to manage it all. She still wasn't allowed around the preparations, but the Queen knew to put her in work In different parts of the castle. Last night Alice had been spending hours cleaning up in the library.

"It contains all books that have been written, all books that will be written and all books that never got written." Mirana had explained before leaving Alice to this chore.

Alice hadn't quite finished working last night; therefore, she was heading that way now, careful to remember the way properly.

* * *

><p>When she entered the library, Alice was almost certain it had grown since last night, but surely it couldn't have. A deep sigh escaped Alice's lips, she probably wouldn't be able to finish the cleaning tonight either. In the corner of her eye, something caught her attention, a book with a almost glowing blue cover, splashed with some whites, creating the effect of rolling waves on the book.<p>

"I don't suppose the Queen would be too upset if I read just a little bit." Alice spoke to herself, reaching for the book.

Unlike the other books in the library, or at least those Alice had read, this was handwritten, in a leaning, elegant hand, making it difficult for Alice to figure the words.

_Dear Diary._ It said.

_There are strange this happening in Underland._

_A stranger has arrived at our shore. Mother says he might be the Alice, and I do hope she's right in that. Only, I didn't know the Alice could be this… dashing. He doesn't look anything like the previous Alice's,, not at all. But perhaps there's more to him than we can see now._

Smiling in surprise, Alice turned the page and kept on reading, keeping the feeling of guilt away from her.

_Dear Diary._

_Do you remember the Alice? Well, turns out he isn't the Alice at all._

_He's a **pirate**, isn't it exiting? I think Racie fancies him, but he's not at all interested in her. He invited me out for a walk on the beach. I'm so exited!_

_Later:_

_Oh, there's no way describing how happy I am. He says he loves me! And I think I love him too. His name is -_

The journal stopped abruptly, the rest of the page torn out by someone. Alice flicked through the rest of it, staring blankly at the cream-coloured pages. On the final page, there was two lonesome sentences:

_I hope my baby Faramund will be fine in Otherland, for I shall never be fine again. Signed with love; Mirana._

This was Mirana's old journal? Alice couldn't help but blush at the thought that the lovely Queen would once have written this when she was younger. How much younger had she been? Alice didn't even know how old the friend was _now. _Drifting away in thoughts, Alice close her eyes…

* * *

><p>If there was something Chessur loved more than Tarrant's hat, it was making an entrance. And what entrance could be better than to be the first thing <em>the <em>Alice saw when she woke up. Chessur snickered at the thought of how frightened she'd look, it would be hilarious.

_But it would also make sure Tarrant never lends me that hat._

That didn't really make a difference, Tarrant would never lend the hat to Chessur, that was for sure.

"Wake up, Alice." Chessur grinned, waiting for the response.

Alice eyelids fluttered and then flew open.

* * *

><p><em>Aaaaaaargh!<em>

The cry of absolute horror echoing through the castle could only mean one thing:

"Chessur." Tarrant growled, sprinting off towards the scream, followed by Mallyumkun and Thackeray.

Skilfully dodging a U.F.P, Tarrant barged into the library, eyes red with fury.

* * *

><p>This was <em>not <em>good. When Alice woke up, she found herself staring into a pair of huge blue eyes and a wicked grin. Anyone would have screamed in this situation, as did Alice. "What are you doing?" she panted once she'd calmed down.

"What do you think I'm doing?" Chessur smirked.

Alice was about to tell him exactly what he would be doing if he didn't leave straight away when the door flew open. In came, firstly a boot, secondly Tarrant, his eyes blazing red, and, as some sort of after troop, Mallyumkun and Thackeray, the latter shivering tremendously.

"What's happened Alice? Did that _slurvish _cat harm you?" Tarrant asked furiously, kneeling beside Alice.

"No, he just startled me, that's all." Alice assured him.

Tarrant studied her face carefully to see if she was lying, the angry red disappearing from his eyes as he saw she was fine. Now only small specks of red was left, scattered over his green irises in a curious way.

"Don't worry so much, Tarrant." Alice smiled. "I can take care of myself."

"I know you can." Tarrant breathed, leaning in on her. "But that don't mean I cannot wish to protect you from any harm." he whispered before kissing her.

**Author's note:**

**Wow, talk about a royal pain for Mirana. Forget what I said about having one song stuck in my head; now it's an entire musical. What am I going to do? And to top that, my brain, not me, has chosen this day to be overly exited about my upcoming fifteenth birthday. The only problem? Well, my birthday is in April, and it's quite some time left. But if I know myself, which I think I do, I'll be going on about it until the day is upon us. Brace yourselves for you have been warned. I'm a little disappointed at how the diary looked, because when I wrote it, in Words, it was really pretty and perfect for Mirana. Ugh, stupid computer.**


	14. Twilight Sparkle

**Author's note:**

**Some of you may have noticed the lack of a chapter, but don't panic! There's no danger on the roof! (BAM! Authentic Swedish expression, right there!) I was I a magical kingdom, far away, known as… Rättvik. It was… sort of fun. But I won't be going again. Or so I think… And FYI, the title of this chapter has nothing to do with Twilight sparklepires, it's actually named after the My Little Pony.**

**14. Twilight Sparkle**

Alice stood on the balcony just outside her room, gazing out over the castle grounds. Just standing there brought a beaming smile to her face. This was the place where she'd confessed, just as much to herself as to Tarrant, that she loved her crazy, mad, wonderful Hatter. She closed her eyes, letting the memories take over...

* * *

><p><em>It was a beautiful evening, Alice thought as she watched the starry shies.<em>

"_Do you have any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" the voice that had become so familiar during her stay, lisped._

_The Hatter casually walked up to her, his precious hat safely tucked underneath his left arm._

_Alice smiled. "I'll have to think about it."_

"_You know what tomorrow is?" Hatter nervously asked._

"_Frabjous Day, how could I forget?" the blonde sighed. "I wish I could wake up from this dream."_

"_You still think this is a dream?" Hatter smiled humourlessly, then shuddered. "Then that would mean that I don't exist."_

"_I'm afraid so; you're just a figment of my imagination. It would be like me to dream up someone who's half mad."_

_The Hatter smiled half-heartedly. "Yes, but you would have to be half mad to dream me up."_

"_I guess I am." Alice sighed again. "I'll miss you when I wake up."_

"_What… What if it's not a dream? Then what happens?"_

"_Honestly?" A small bird fluttered by, Alice following its flight until it had disappeared. "I don't know."_

_Suddenly aware of the small golden flecks in the Hatter's eyes, Alice reached up and cupped his pale face in her hands. "Tarrant," she whispered. "What does gold mean?"_

"_I've been considering things that begin with the letter L." Tarrant said, avoiding the question. "Lace… Linnet…" he paused slightly. "Love." He leant forwards, placing a faint kiss on Alice's lips, then he hastily retreated, blushing. "I'm sorry. It's not my place to-"_

"_Don't be." Alice beamed, stroking his smooth cheek. "I think I love you, Tarrant." she whispered._

* * *

><p>The memory made Alice blush, how foolish she had been in those days. How could she ever have thought Underland could be a dream, especially after <em>that <em>evening? She couldn't have dreamt that up. It was twilight now; the setting sun cast long shadows on the ground. The castle, usually white, glistened in warm colours; deep red, orange and a beautiful sparkling gold.

"Do you have any idea why a raven is like a writing desk?" she asked, not even looking up as Tarrant came to stand next to her.

The pale man chuckled. "Still haven't got the slightest idea. You know what tomorrow is, don't you?"

"No." Alice sighed. "Not at all. Do tell me."

"It's your unbirthday, silly sweetling. And mine too, and Isa's. Isn't it curious how we share the same unbirthday?"

"I'd say it would be curiouser if we didn't. But isn't it my unbirthday today as well?"

"Yes, yes, of course. Only, no, not at all."

Laughing, Alice took his calloused, bandaged hand in hers. "Whatever have you've been doing to your poor hands?"

* * *

><p>Tarrant looked down at his hands at this. They were more cut than usually; he'd been working so hard lately, wanting everything to turn out perfect for his Alice. But not all the cuts were because of work. There was a piece of the tip of his second finger missing; it had been an unfortunate accident involving Chessur, Thackeray and a stapler. Whoever had presented the Hare with a stapler in the first place? He'd always been living at the edge, (of the table, insanity, everything) and the accident was part of what drove him over it.<p>

And there was the finger Mally always pricked with her sword, which _he _had presented to her, when she got upset or craved attention, which was quite often. That was why he'd taken to wearing a thimble, even though it made no difference, Mally found her way around it anyhow. There was no gratitude at all around that lass.

"My hands?" Tarrant sheepishly asked.

"Yes. What have you been doing?" Alice demanded to know.

"It's a long story…"

"Tell me anyway."

* * *

><p>Chessur knew one shouldn't spy on one's friends, but how would you know what they thought of you if you didn't spy? Hovering slightly beneath the ceiling was the best place to do this, not many bothered to look up there, they didn't think someone would be hiding there. Isabel and Mallyumkun didn't suspect a thing, he was sure of it.<p>

"What do ye think o' Chess?" Mally asked the girl cautiously.

"It's a nice game…" Isabel replied. "But I'm not very good at it."

"Not tha' Chess you big lump. The cat, Chessur."

"Oh, him. Well, he's nice. Do you like him?" Isabel asked slyly.

Mally blushed. "I- Well, I-" she stuttered. "He's a good friend."

"That wasn't what I meant. Do you love him?"

Chessur soared closer, eager to hear the answer. If Mally had been red earlier, that was nothing compared to what she was now. She stuttered something none could make out, then frowned at Isabel. "None of your business." she snapped, scurrying away, as if trying to avoid further personal questions.

_How intriguing. _

Chessur popped up next to Mally, effortlessly keeping her pace. "Why in such a hurry?" he purred.

Mally stopped dead, glaring momentarily at the cat. "I wasn't in a hurry."

"Then why were you running?"

"Isabel asked me, well… She asked me if I loved you." Mally admitted.

"Really?" Chess grinned in feigned surprise. "And what was the answer?"

**Author's note:**

**Well, that's that. No more of this today. So, until then, my friends! **


	15. Beautiful Mind

**Author's note:**

**All is well, right? Well, we'll just have to see about that…**

**15. Beautiful Mind**

_Tarrant had overdone himself, he even thought so himself. Smiling happily, he studied his creation with proud eyes. All was perfect for his Alice's unbirthday. He probably hadn't had to stay up all night to finish it, but what's done's done, right? Now all that was missing was Alice herself. Where was that boy -girl! - at? Why wouldn't she come? Sighing, Tarrant left his room, in order to find where his Alice had gone to. That sneaky girl -yes, he got it right! - could be sneaking around anywhere in the castle._

"_Alice-sweetling!" he cooed. "Where are you?"_

_He looked around a corner, half expecting Alice to be standing there, giggling her pretty little lungs out. He wasn't sure that Alice's lungs were pretty, but they ought to be, everything about Alice was pretty. The way she stuck out her lower lip when she was pouting, the way her hair looked in the sunshine. The way it looked when it was cloudy. How there would be small silver streaks in her eyes when she laughed, and how there would be adorable dimples in her cheeks every time she smiled at him…_

_Lost in thought, Tarrant rounded a corner, only the gasp in horror. _

"_The- the- But-" he stammered, frightened beyond belief._

"_Yes, I have returned." the red queen smirked. "Have you fools missed me?"_

_On the floor beside her lay something small and white, something Tarrant recognised as the still shape of Mallyumkun, in a puddle of her own blood. The crimson blood had seeped into some of her fur, turning it a soggy pinkish colour. Sprawled in the far most corner was the sad, broken body that was the only thing left of Tarrant's loyal, mad friend; Thackeray. Tarrant almost found himself tipping his hat in the memory of Thackeray Earwicket, and chuckled dryly at the morbidity of this._

"_You enjoy death, Hat Man?" the red queen giggled wickedly. "I might spare your life, after all, I am in need of a new knave." _

_Tarrant took a shaky step backwards, in hope he could run away from this and find it to be just a dream. His shoe stuck onto something awful and sticky. In spite of what he feared it might be, he looked down on the severed feline he'd, just hours ago, been arguing with, staring up at him, a grin etched on his face even in death, like some kind of morbid joke._

"_Where's Alice?" he whispered, frightened of what he might hear._

"_Oh, her. She's down in the throne room." the red queen coolly said. "You can go there if you like, a last farewell and all." The tone of her voice indicated that she believed this to be an act of great kindness."_

"_Thank you." Tarrant muttered, stepping out of his shoes, they just wouldn't get unstuck from the blood. _

_Then he ran, as fast as he could. The red queen hadn't said Alice was dead, then there could still be hope! Skidding in the turns, he stormed into the throne room, looking more like a whirlwind than anything else. Just glancing swiftly at the Queen, she was dead, just like everyone else, he threw himself onto the floor beside Alice. Miraculously, she was still breathing, despite the gaping wound in the chest, and the blood she coughed._

"_Tarrant…" she moaned, reaching for him with a pale, shivering hand._

"_Shush, love. You're not well right now. Just… Get some rest, and you'll be better, just like you did before." Tarrant said in his most soothing voice. "Please?"_

"_No, Tarrant. Not this time." Alice coughed again, more blood pouring out over her already soaked lips. "Just promise me you won't forget."_

"_I would never forget you Alice, how could I?" Tarrant reassured her._

_Despite the fact she was in obvious pain, a small laugh escaped Alice's lips. "Usually, I'm the one that forgets. I'm sorry I ever did." she winced as some more blood gushed up in the wound -how much blood could she possibly contain? _

"_Don't ever be sorry, dear. Never." Tarrant felt the first of many tears trickle down his cheek and into his mouth, unbearably salty. "I love you."_

"_I know." Alice breathed. Then she looked at him, her eyes filled with love. "Fairfarren Tarrant." Something left the beautiful pair of blue eyes, leaving them as empty and cold as the red queen's._

* * *

><p>Tarrant bolted upwards. Someone was screaming, loudly. The scream just kept growing in the room until he realised he was the one screaming. The silence was almost more frightening than the scream, at least the scream had been proof that he was still alive. But this silence, it told him nothing else than the fact Alice was dead. She had died in his arms, and he had been unable to help her.<p>

"Alice." he whimpered, tears once again rolling down his cheek.

* * *

><p>"Don't be frightened darling." Alice cooed. "I'm here. It was only a nightmare."<p>

Tarrant stared at her with blank eyes, whispering her name over and over again. He didn't seem able to see her at all, and his eyes was the duller green they always were when he had plunged into the madness.

"What's happened?" Alice cried, desperately trying to pull him out of it. "Please Tarrant, come back!" she turned to the Queen. "What's wrong with him? Help him!"

"I have no idea what to do, I'm afraid. There might not be anything we can do. All we can do right now is to wait." the Queen spoke slowly, every syllable full of concern.

"Gone." Tarrant suddenly whispered. "Dead."

"Who is?" Alice asked, grabbing onto his hand.

"You are, Alice, you are. But I won't forget you. I promised you that." Tarrant giggled, shrill and loud, the kind of giggle that made anyone shift uncomfortably.

Alice shook her head. "That's a lie. You've forgotten." the champion burst into tears.

**Just don't kill me now! His madness caused him to have this weird dream. (Read: My twisted, beautiful mind forced me to write it.) But it's only a dream, nothing can hurt you…**


	16. Unbirthday Wish

**Author's note:**

**Last chapter, I was in a morbid mode due to reasons unknown to anyone in the world. Even Voldemort himself doesn't have a clue, even though I'm not sure why he'd know anyway…**

**16. Unbirthday Wish**

Alice tiredly rubbed her eyes, fighting to stay awake. She had been up all night, keeping Tarrant safe from himself; the madness tended to make him a tad violent, mostly towards himself. Still yawning and squinting, Alice inspected her wrist. Tarrant had harshly grabbed it at a point, and now there was a pattern of bluish bruises, dully throbbing, on her hand and arm. True; Tarrant wasn't himself, and it could have been much worse, but Alice still had a big lump in her throat, coarse sobs threatening to escape any minute. Tarrant shifted nervously in his sleep, muttering in outlandish.

"Take it easy, Tarrant. There's no danger here." Alice whispered, stroking his cheek until he relaxed again.

Sighing shakily, Alice buried her face in her hands, much to hide the fact she was crying. She didn't want Tarrant to suddenly wake up and see her crying. If he knew he'd made her cry, he would be sure to plunge right back into the madness. Life was complicated…

* * *

><p>"Down with the bloody red queen!" Tarrant roared, jolting to a sitting position, eyes flaming with mad fury.<p>

"It's only a bad dream." a voice, filled with horror and concern, cried, cold hands trying to push him back down.

"Who are you?" Tarrant howled, grabbing onto a pillow, concealing himself with it. "What do you want with me?"

"It's me, Alice." there was a shiver in the stranger's voice now.

How dared this stranger call herself Alice? Alice was dead, gone, no more. Sure; this girl looked like her, but she was crying, the _real _Alice didn't cry, ever. Tarrant glared at the little imposer, wishing looks could kill.

"You are _not _Alice. Alice was killed by the red queen." he snarled.

"Don't- It's a dream-" the poser stuttered, feigned tears streaming down her cheeks. She was good at pretence, he'd admit that.

"Get out." he spit, fist clutched. When the stranger didn't leave, he roared at her; "Get out! Get out of here you- you-" he struggled to find an insult bad enough. "You no-good, _guddler's scuttish, pilgar lickering, shukum juggling, slurping urpal, bar lom much, egg brimni!_"

* * *

><p>"No, that's just stupid, I don't-" the rest of Mally's argument was drenched in loud, outlandish yelling. <em>Tarrant… <em>She bode the white lily Fairfarren before scattering towards the palace.

"You won't get away from answering my question that easy! You'll have to tell me sooner or later!"

_In your dreams…_

There was no way Mally would admit it to anyone, she hardly even admitted it to herself, and she would definitely _never _tell a stupid flower. Sliding over the marble floor, aiming for a large crack in the wall, she hit something. Something soft, something furry, something with a big, wicked grin. Chessur.

"Move it, cat! I'm in a hurry!" Mally cried, struggling herself back onto her paws.

"My, my, I daresay that's offensive." Chessur purred. "Can't more than one of us be in a hurry?"

"No."

He chuckled, casually proceeding to groom his fur. "Go on then, Mally. Go save Tarrant, he's the only thing you care for anyhow." there was a shatter of sorrow in his voice; as though he didn't want Mally to go at all.

"I don't care _just _for Tarrant." Mally whispered. "I- I care for you, Chess. A lot. But I have to help our friend, and if you can't understand that-" she turned her back at Chessur and ran.

* * *

><p>Chessur grinned proudly at the disappearing dormouse. Gods, he was persuasive, making Mally run to save someone she didn't even like, <em>and <em>almost making her admit her feelings, and all in just three single sentences.

"I really should have been crowned king, I'm so carismatic..." he purred, disappearing in a puff of smoke.

* * *

><p>Isabel had no idea what had happened over the night; the previous evening, everything had been perfect, and now…all was ruined. And what was worse; she wasn't allowed to go see her own father! Her <em>father.<em> She, and mum, of course, should be the ones to look after him; but they'd been ordered to stay away from him.

_It's unfair!_

Frowning, Isabel irritably clomped back and forth in her room, kicking things out of her way.

"Isabel, don't do that." Alice sighed, following in the child's tracks, placing the kicked things at their original position. "Your father won't get better by you kicking your things all around the palace."

This was, Isabel decided, an unfair statement. She was only kicking them in her room… And not kicking them wouldn't help him either, but it helped her to hold the tears back.

"Stop it." Alice snapped, promptly lifting her daughter, holding her above the floor, out of reach of all kickable possessions of hers. "Please."

Isabel kicked at her, attempting to at least cause bruises on her skins, wailing; "Let me down!"

"Not until you promise to behave."

"I'll never promise anything." Isabel yelled, still in her clutches. "It's your fault daddy's ill! I never had a father, and now he's going away, all because of you, and all you can think about is my _shukum _things! I'm in a rage!" she cried, clawing and punching at her defenceless mother.

"Isabel, I-" Alice begun.

"Don't say you understand! You don't understand! You _had _a father, just like all the other children!" finally having wrestled her way down, she added; "I wish you weren't my mother."

There was a flash of bright light and then, nothing.

**Author's note:**

**Yeah, sort of a shortie today. I couldn't really concentrate, because House M.D is **_**finally **_**returning to Swedish television. Today! And, if you were wondering, we are currently at the episode with the bull fighter. That's season... seven? I'm not sure.**


	17. By the White!

**Author's note:**

**Don't worry, I wouldn't end a story that way. Let's compare it to the movie; the most exiting part is when Alice fights the `wocky.´ Then I'd say we're somewhere around the escape from Salazen Grum… So there's still some things that has to happen, I can't just escape from my idea of how it should end, 'cause that would be bad.**

**17. By the White!**

The only possible way to describe the light was using the word ´white,` for that was exactly what it was. There was none of those colourful blobs that always appeared if you stared into the sun too long. This white light was calm and pure; nothing was there to distract Isabel. She was the only one around.

"Isabel…" to say that Isabel jumped at the sound of the stranger voice would be an understatement. The girl performed an `upwards-fall´ worthy of McTwisp, affrightedly looking to find the speaker.

"You will not find me." the voice said. "For I am nothing and everything, nowhere and everywhere, all at once."

"What do you want with me?" Isabel squealed, blushing at how silly it sounded.

"Ah… That's not the question. The question is; what is it that you want from me? It has come to my attention that you made a wish on your unbirthday. Are you happy with this wish of yours?"

"I don't know. I may have spoken in haste."

"A doubter, eh?" the voice chuckled. "Should we take a look, then."

"At what?"

"Your worlds; how they would look it Alice were not your mother."

* * *

><p><em>Alice Kingsleigh was mad, bonkers, off her head. She hadn't always been this way; once she'd been a charming young lady, a lady of society, with a whole life in front of her.<em>

_Then something happened…_

_No one knew what had happened to her. She'd ran off from her own engagement party. When she came back, she was a changed woman. She was restless; her eyes would fly across the room, never staying at one place. No, her eyes seemed to want to be everywhere at once, the only time they got some rest was when Alice was asleep. If someone tried talking to her, the girl would burst into a shrill laugh, or yell in some kind of made-up language. _

_Yes, Alice Kingsleigh was, indeed, mad as a hatter._

* * *

><p>"What happened to her?" Isabel whispered.<p>

"She never regained her muchness. The consequences drove her insane." the voice tsked. "You were part of her getting the muchness back."

"I wasn't even born when that happened."

"No, but you were there; inside of her. Your muchness became hers. Without you…"

* * *

><p><em>The white Queen always looked so troubled nowadays, there were wrinkles on her forehead, proof that Time had been rough on the once majesty. Her white hair was caked with dirt and coagulated blood, and her dress had yellowed with age. So many of her loyal subjects had been slaughtered, and she'd been unable to help them. She tried to move, to change her position, but the painful shackles kept her to her place, only clanking teasingly.<em>

* * *

><p>"The red Queen defeated her." the voice explained.<p>

_In a shady place, close to the windmill, stood a solitary tombstone, covered in mosses, the outlandish words hardly visible._

("What does it say?" Isabel whispered before realising she already knew.)

_Here lies a man with the heart of a champion._

_He fought bravely, to save the one he loved,_

_But failed miserably._

_May he Futterwacken in the afterlife._

_Remember Tarrant Hightopp; _

_A caring friend, a loving brother, a mad hatter._

* * *

><p>"He died?" Isabel cried. "How?"<p>

"On the Frabjous Day, it was he, not Alice, who yielded the sword of Vorpal. Alas, only an Alice can stand a chance against the dreaded Jabberwocky…" there was a heavy sigh. "His friends buried what was left of him."

"What was left?"

"His hat. Before the battle, he presented it to the Cheshire cat. Otherwise, there wouldn't even be a grave."

* * *

><p><em>Mallyumkun stood by a black river; staring into the water, watching as her tears blended with it. <em>

"_Fairfarren, Tarrant…" she sniffled. _

_A dark shape crawled up behind her, gaily sweeping its tail._

"_You know, Mally. The best part of playing Cat and Mouse is Sudden Death." the vicious Cheshire cat growled before pouncing. _

* * *

><p>"Chess would never do that!" Isabel protested.<p>

"Oh, but he would. The grief of having lost a friend made him go mad, attacking anything that came in his way."

"But Mally…"

"She knew he was there. She wanted to die. It's called Guilt of the Survivor."

"No more of this, please! Let me go home."

"You have no home in this place."

"You know what I mean. I un-wish my wish." thoughtfully, the girl added; "Was any of this real, or did it just happen in my imagination?"

Her question wasn't answered.

* * *

><p>Isabel was lying head-first on a cold floor. How she'd gotten there didn't matter, all she cared about was the fact it was actually there. She was back! She threw her arms around her mother.<p>

"I lied." she whispered. "I don't wish I had another mother."

"I know, sweetheart. I know."

**Author's note:**

**See, it's not over yet. And also, the next chapter will contain more of Tarrant and you might get to know how he'll be saved from the madness, or you might not, we'll just have to see about that… But there's a big probababillity that will happen.**


	18. Midnight Moments

**Author's note:**

**Hiya! I'm back. Or perhaps you've already noticed that…? Anyways… Am I the only one to think of (yuck) Twilight because of this chapter's name? It's a short chapter this time; my computer has been going haywire on me.**

**18. Midnight moments.**

There were many kinds of magic in Underland, but it was agreed that the most powerful of them was the Midnight Moments. During the brief moments, great magic could be performed, lives could be saved, or taken for that matter. If Tarrant was to be saved, the midnight moments would be their only chance. Mirana hadn't told Alice this; she hadn't wanted to raise the younger woman's hopes, for there was an imminent chance of her magic going horribly wrong. She still had tried bringing it up during tea, but the mentioning of Tarrant's name brought tears to Alice's eyes, so Mirana bode her silence. She could imagine Alice's reaction…

* * *

><p><em>"I might know a way to return Tarrant from the madness." Mirana smiled, blowing at her tea.<em>

_"You have?" Alice's eyes widened in excitement. "Do tell me, please."_

_"It's called the Midnight Moments. They're very powerful, but there's a small chance…" Mirana hesitated. "There's a chance Tarrant may not make it."_

_"He'd die?" Alice cried, knocking her chair over. "You cannot mean to do this Mirana. I couldn't bear it if he died. We'll just give it some time, and he'll come round, I'm sure." _

_The blonde spurted off before Mirana could answer this._

* * *

><p>Mirana couldn't help but laugh; that would indeed be like Alice, to run of without waiting to get an reply, if she sensed there would be a sensible such, she fled the field. There was still several hours until midnight, but Mirana, with the assistance of Chessur and Mallyumkun, was already preparing for the ceremony. Thackeray had desperately wanted to help, but in his case, helping usually didn't help too much. In order not to hurt his feelings, Mirana had assigned him to keeping Alice away from the palace, a task Thackeray took on with great persistence. The last time Mirana saw them, the hare had been going on and on about how Alice ought to see what had happened to the red queens castle after she was sent out of Underland.<p>

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Mally asked, nervously holding onto Chessur's paw.

"No." Mirana admitted. "But it is for Alice's own good. She's a dear friend, and I hate seeing her this devastated."

"Fine then. Let the magic begin." Chessur grinned.

Mirana did so, starting to chant the ancient words, and Tarrant's eyes flew open, coloured in a curious blue, much like Chessur's actually…

**Author's note:**

**See, I told you. A short one this time. Until then, my friend…**


	19. Awakening

**Author's note:**

**Awh, Rachel Harvey, *blushes* gee… There will probably be a sequel, and there will most certainly be a prequel. But still, gee.. *blushes even more***

**And I also have to point out my skill points for today; Jenna-0 Kitchen Floor-1; I sort of managed to get lemonade all over the floor…**

**19. Awakening**

"Should his eyes really look like that? They're really quite curious." Chessur eyed Tarrant's face carefully. "And wasn't his hair less bright?"

"I don't know." Mally slapped him. "It might have something to do with him having been stuck in the madness."

She could have a point there…

Tarrant grinned in his peculiar manner. "This is curious… I don't recall any of you being here. Weren't you dead?" he paled rapidly. "Am I dead?" he whimpered.

"No, you're not." the Queen smiled. "In fact, you've just come alive again."

"So I was dead…?" there was an amount of fear in his voice now, the blue eyes starting to fade into a frightened gray.

"It's difficult to explain." Mally sighed. "We'll tell you all 'bout it later, right now, I think there is someone you should see."

"Who?" Had she not been aware of the side-effects of the Midnight Moments, Mally would have slapped him, too.

"Alice, of course."

Tarrant's entire being brightened. "She's not dead, right?"

"She isn't dead." Chessur assured him, ginning widely again. "Now go see her."

* * *

><p>Isabel cautiously poked the pile of fabrics in hers and Alice's room, it was almost as tall as her, and it looked like it was going to fall over any second.<p>

"Mummy!" Isabel shouted. "Why is there a pile of laundry in my bedroom?"

Alice joined her in looking at the pile. "I don't know, sweetie. I haven't the slightest idea. Maybe your father put it there…"

"He couldn't have, he's not well."

"Oh, but he could." Tarrant stuck his head in the room, grinning widely enough to make the ´Cheshire cat go green in envy. "Missed me?"

"Tarrant!" Alice cried out, literally throwing herself at him. "I've missed you so much, how did you get back? That doesn't matter now, you're back, and you're here and it's wonderful that you're here-"

"Shush." Tarrant whispered, swiftly silencing her with a kiss. "I thought you were dead, Alice. Don't ever let me think that again."

"I would never do that. Ever." Alice realised she had tangled herself with Tarrant in a crude manner. They broke apart, blushing vigorously, Isabel staring at the pair.

"Uh…" was all either of them could say.

"It's okay." Isabel smiled. "Carry on." Leaving the room, she added; "And I've always wanted a sibling."

After a brief silence, both Alice and Tarrant broke down in giggles.

"How long until our wedding?" Tarrant asked. "I knew, but I've been gone some time, and nobody will tell me."

"Haven't the slightest idea." Alice giggled, snuggling up by his chest. "No one would tell me, either."

**Author's note:**

**Another short chapter; but the next one will most certainly be a longer one. Ooh, a wedding will be coming up quite soon. **

**Random question of the day:**

**When watching/reading about professor Umbridge in Harry Potter, am I the only one to yell; "Her name is Um, idiot?" **

**It would be nice to know if I'm not the only one to do this… Or I might learn I'm the only one, and that wouldn't be very nice, though.**


	20. Rose Petals

**Author's note:**

**I'm happy to know I'm not the only one to say "Her name is Um, idiot!" at bad times. That's good! Keep on doing it, or the Jabberwocky will eat you. And Chess'll probably help.**

**20. Rose Petals**

Tarrant inspected the flowers before him, trying to decide whether or not they were the kind that talked or not. Still uncertain of them, he reached for it with a long, pale finger, poking it gently.

"Are you alive?" he whispered. "Hello?" Poking it again, he decided it was a dead flower and carefully broke the stalk. There was a shrill scream, and he affrightedly dropped the white rose.

"Why would you do something like that?" the mother-plant wailed. "You've murdered her!"

"I didn't know!" he raised his hands for protection. "I thought she was one of those flowers that doesn't talk."

"How could you? How dared you? Just wait 'til I tell the queen of this!"

At this point; Tarrant found it best to run for it, leaving nothing but a white rose petal behind.

Flushed and out of breath, Tarrant stormed into the castle, nearly tripping over Chessur.

"Watch it, cat." he snapped.

"Technically," the feline purred. "You are the one who should watch where he's going." Grinning wickedly, he added; "Picking flowers, are we?"

"No." Tarrant snarled, pathetically hiding the flower behind his back.

"Oh, really. But what's this, then?" Chessur evaporated, only to show up behind Tarrant and snatch the rose. "It sure does look like a rose. And a white one, too. Do you know what white roses mean?"

"Haven't the slightest idea."

"Eternal love." Chess giggled, dropping the rose in Tarrant's lap as he faded, pausing only to say; "Do you think that means; if I gave Mally to a female of my kind, she would mean eternal love?"

Before Tarrant could answer, the cat disappeared completely in a wisp of smoke.

"Stupid cat." Tarrant murmured, inspecting the flower.

As he watched, a second petal lost its grip and slowly fell towards the marble floor.

"Curious…" he whispered. With trembling fingers, he caught the petal and brought it up to his face so he could inspect it. "Very curious."

Slowly flapping it up and down, he followed its movements with the eyes blue of curiosity.

"If, maybe…" his voice trailed off. "Yes, yes, that will be good, indeed."

Making a hurried retreat to his room; Tarrant didn't notice the petal coming to rest just outside his door.

* * *

><p>There was a white petal on the white marble floor, barely visible at all. Alice kneeled to look at it, wondering how it might have gotten there. There was a slightly pink area at the otherwise perfect petal, as if some blood had seeped into it. Carefully, Alice picked it up, smelling the faint smell left in in. It smelled of summer, and of love. Of Tarrant, Alice corrected herself, blushing the same pale pink as the petal.<p>

"Alice, dear." a familiar voice chuckled. "Are you blushing at a petal?"

"No. I was blushing because it made me think of Tarrant." the blushing blonde admitted.

"Everything reminds you of him nowadays."

"I guess so, I'm mad, aren't I?" Alice snorted, going mad shortly before her wedding just wouldn't do.

"Madly in love, that is." Mirana sat down next to her, inspecting the petal. "It looks like Tarrant has acquired another prick."

"He always manage to have at least one of his fingers pricked." Alice laughed. "How does he do it?"

"By simply being Tarrant."

The pair of them laughed merrily, leaving the pearly white petal the only one silent.

* * *

><p>Tarrant proudly eyed his creation. He was certain Alice would like this dress, as soon as it was done anyway. It reminded him of the dress he'd made for her that time when she was much out of her proper size, even though this dress was somewhat bigger, and it was also to be more formal; fit for a wedding.<p>

"Still can't believe she'd choose me…" he said under his breath, struggling to create the decorative flower properly. His plan was to make it look like a rose, a white one, but I wouldn't stay the way he wanted it to. "Stupid silk." The needle found a way through his thimble, how did they always manage to do that? Instinctively putting the pricked finger in his mouth, Tarrant saw the rose beginning to unravel. "Oh, _shukum_."

Someone was knocking on the door, he hadn't realised this until now.

"Tarrant." Alice called through the wood.

Double _shukum_! Tarrant covered the dress with a sheet of fabric in an awful fester-y yellow. It looked unpleasant, even though he knew what was hidden beneath it.

"Yes." he answered his fiancée, trying to flatten invisible creases in his vest and rock. "Come in."

"What are you doing?" said fiancée asked as she entered, nervously looking at the messy room.

"Nothing." Tarrant lied, grinning at her. "Nothing at all."

"Is that so?" Alice smiled back at him, letting her eyes rest at the now rugged rose in his hand. In fact, it only had one petal left now, the rest was strewn all over the room. "Is that for me?"

"It was. Then it broke…" Tarrant giggled manically, trying to make the best of the situation. "you can still have it if you'd like." He shyly offered her the blossom, looking sheepishly at the final petal trembling perilously.

"Thank you, Tarrant." Alice smiled warmly, gladly accepting the gift. "Shouldn't I give you something in return?"

"Like what?" Tarrant wriggled his eyebrows seductively.

"None of that." Alice gave him a loose slap. "I was thinking something more like this…" she caught his mouth with hers, chocking the mad man.

"Naughty…" Tarrant chuckled as they pulled apart, sparks of gold dancing before his eyes.

Alice shrugged. "I guess I am." she sighed, adding; " I have to leave now, duties, you know. Keep working on that nothing you're hiding under the awful sheet." Alice giggled and winked at him.

As she left the room, the last rose petal same loose, landing on the floor before Tarrant's feet.

"We meet again…" he whispered. "Curious."

**Author's note:**

**Yeah, that was a little strange… And don't ask me what was up with the petals, 'cause I seriously haven't got the slightest idea. I guess I was just struck by some weirdness... Please review, or don't, do what you want.**


	21. Forever and Always

**Author's note: **

**Have someone told you guys that you're awesome today? If the answer is "no" consider this your lucky day. You're awesome, all of you. That's all I needed to say.**

**21. Forever and Always**

"Do you vow to cherish and take care of Alice 'til the end of Underland; forever and always?" Mirana requested to know.

"Forever and always." the beaming groom promised.

Mirana nodded before turning to said Alice. "Alice. Do you promise to be faithful to Tarrant, to love him to the end of Time?" she asked. "Do you promise to cherish and take care of Tarrant 'til the end of Underland, forever and always?"

The blonde nodded mutely. "Forever and always." she whispered, her smile hardly visible behind the beautifully made veil. It had supposedly been in the Hightopp clan's possession since Underland saw its first morning, and now it served its purpose, making Alice look beautiful as ever.

"Forever and always." Mirana repeated slowly. "By the power invested on me by Underland; I hereby declare you Hatter and wife. Tarrant, you may kiss the bride."

Not an eye was dry, Mirana noted through misty such, as Tarrant, finally, wedded his Alice. (Even though Chessur claimed that something must've caught his eyes; a story none believed.)

"Congratulations." Mirana smiled teary eyed, glad to be the first in a line of luck wishers. "We've been waiting for the two of you to come to your senses ever since you first came here, Alice. It seems Tarrant was the first to come to his; he's loved you for so long. Good luck, Mrs Hightopp."

"I won't be needing luck." Alice beamed. "Not when I have Tarrant."

"Then you're lucky to have someone like him."

"I'd say _I _am the lucky one." Tarrant lisped shyly, blushing. "But that would be lying. I'm not just lucky; I'm _blessed_ with Alice, who is beautiful and brave. And I'm blessed in knowing she loves me as much as I love her."

This time it was Alice's time to blush. "We are lucky, both of us, in that manner."

"Aye, lass, that we are." bowing, Tarrant grasped her hand. "Would you care for a dance, Mrs Hightopp?"

Alice laughed. "Why do you ask? I'd dance with you at anytime."

"Just so I can hear you say that." Tarrant gently placed his hand on Alice's shoulder and the other one wrapped lightly around her waist. "Do you remember how it's done?"

"You taught me, of course I do." Alice smiled, copying his hands with her own, light as feathers.

Then they soared over the floor, barely even touching the cool marble.

* * *

><p>Mallyumkun silenced a sniffle. She was glad for Tarrant's and Alice's getting married, she truly was. But the happiness was dulled by the fact Chessur seemed to have disappeared, leaving her the only one without someone accompanying her to the dance.<p>

"I should've known that bleeding excuse of a cat would just leave like that. It's all he ever does, isn't it?"

"It is?" a voice by her side asked.

Mally turned, ready to strike at the intruder, finding herself nose to nose with a handsome gray mouse.

"Someone's abandoned you? Sounds like an awful being." the mouse grinned.

"No, he couldn't be awful…" Mally sighed. "He's just a little unreliable."

"Then why do you stay with him?"

"Because…" Mally turned silent, blushing.

"Because you love him?" the gray mouse suggested.

"Yeah… I do. Who are you, anyway?"

"Oh, I think you already know."

"I do?"

"You do." The mouse started growing, rapidly transforming into a gray and blue tabby cat.

"Chess! You dog." Mally cried.

"My! Mallyumkun, I am truly offended." the tabby purred. "Now I shall never speak to you again."

"I'm sorry, Chess."

"No need. Doesn't the happy couple look spiffing?"

They simultaneously looked at Alice and Tarrant twirling over the floor; Alice in a beautiful white dress, tinged with blue. There even was an over-sized fabric rose fastened at her waist, a perfect replica of the flower Tarrant had mistakenly killed a few days earlier. Tarrant had honoured her by fastening its twin at the brim of his hat; otherwise he was dressed in clothes similar to what he always wore, only fancier and newer. Mally hated to admit it, but they looked perfect together. Unlike Chess and herself…

A cat and a mouse. It was actually preposterous; they should be deathly enemies for the love of cheese! And yet, here they were…

"Would you mind posing as a mouse again? I liked that form…"

"Are you saying you don't like this form?" Chess purred.

"Yes. No! I mean, it would be nice having you being _my _size for once. Always having to look up at you gives me a sour neck."

"We wouldn't want that, now would we? Very well, fair Mally, your wish is my command." The cat turned back into a mouse, still grinning with pointy teeth, though. "Care to dance?"

"Yes, please." Mally curtsied, silently cursing herself for being such a girl around Chessur.

Chess, still grinning broadly, stroke her cheek with a soft paw. "Then let's dance."

* * *

><p>Mirana watched the unusual couple with an amused smile. It was wonderful how things could turn out here in Underland. No one actually paid any notice to the romance going on between the cat and the dormouse. Well, there was one…<p>

"Alice!" Mirana called her friend over. "There's someone I'd like you to meet."

"Can it wait?"

"I wouldn't count on it. Just come along." before Alice could protest, Mirana added; "That's an order."

Sighing irritably, Alice followed the Queen to the furthest corner of the hall. A pair of women stood there, one of them holding a baby in her arms and a small boy latched to her side.

"She's here." Mirana smiled.

The women turned to look at them, and Alice's chin dropped in surprise.

"Margaret! Mother!" the newly wed gasped.

**Author's note:**

**I was going to finish this yesterday, but I as good as fell asleep across the keyboard… But it's here now. Smile everyone! That's an order. And yes, I ship Chess and Mally. You don't have to like it, just don't tell me in that case. Could someone please tell me what `yaoi´ is? I've came across that word when browsing, but I didn't read those stories, just because I didn't know. Is it something I shouldn't read concidering I'm 14? Someone, tell me!**


	22. Mother Knows Best

**Author's note:**

**Well, now I know what yaoi is. And, frankly, I wish I hadn't asked. Didn't really need to know that. But, now I know to avoid it… So I guess asking was kind of good in that manner.**

**22. Mother Knows Best**

Helen Kingsleigh excitedly hugged her youngest daughter.

"I'm so proud of you, Alice." she cried. "My little girl's finally got married, who'd think that would happen?"

Her daughter looked a bit offended at her words, but still managed a smile. "Thank you, mother."

"I'm so glad you've finally found someone that would keep up with your mad ideas, that's all."

"Yes, Alice. When are you going to introduce us to your new husband?" Margaret required.

"Right away." Alice cast a glance around the room. "Just come with me. Tarrant, dear!" she waved to someone Helen couldn't see.

* * *

><p>Alice was nervously fiddling with her fingers. What would her mother think of Tarrant? He wasn't really what her mother thought a gentleman of her standards.<p>

"This is my husband, Tarrant Hightopp." Alice said, clinging onto Tarrant's hand. She could literally see her mother's eyes nearly falling out her skull in confusion. "Mother?"

"Mrs Kingsleigh?" Tarrant lisped nervously. "Do you want to hear a riddle?"

Helen nodded silently.

"Do you know why a raven is like a writing desk?" Tarrant grinned.

"No, not at all." Helen finally spoke.

"What an coincidence! Neither do I." Tarrant, along with Helen and her daughters broke out in laughter.

"I can see why Alice married you." lowering her voice and turning to Alice, she added; "You've made an excellent choice, dear."

Tarrant grinned. "Care to dance, mother-in-law?"

"Very well."

Margaret looked eagerly at her sister.

"What?" the sister giggled.

"How did you meet him?"

"It's quite a long story… I'll tell it to you someday."

"Today is a day as good as any." Margaret poked Alice's nose.

Alice jokingly pushed the older sister. "You're impossible!"

"As are you. Just tell me, Alice." Margaret laughed.

"Very well, I'll tell you. Let's just find Isabel first, I bet she wants to hear as well."

**Author's note:**

**Yes, this chapter is very short, but I have gotten WAY to little sleep the last few weeks, and I really can't think properly right now. Yeah… Please rewiev, or… or… Or I'll eat your pillow. You'll be having a dream that you're eating a giant marshmallow, and when you wake up, your favourite pillow will be gone! *Evil laugh and creepy music***


	23. Beamish Boy

**Author's note:**

**I'm finally back! I've been in a state of sheer happiness today, for I'd lost my Alice-DVD (horror of horrors) but now I've found it, and I watched it with my friend, who is now a fan of Tarrant. He's so adorable! And no, Isabel does not go **_**poof**_**, I just didn't feel like writing about her.**

**23. Beamish Boy**

"And then; I fell down, down, down. It was very curious indeed."

Isabel looked wide-eyed at her mother as she told the story of how she'd first come to Underland. Beside her, her cousin; Charles, was copying her expression, only that he was biting his thumb in excitement.

"What happened than, mummy?" Isabel asked breath-taken. At first she'd been annoyed when she was whisked away from her funny twin friends, but this story made up for that. "Did you die?"

The mother laughed heartily. "No, I didn't. I landed in a room with loads of doors and a little table with a bottle on it. So I drank from the bottle and shrank. I even grew smaller than you." Alice tickled her daughter. "Then I found an _adorable _little door. It was locked." There was an almost invisible shake of the blonde head. "And the key was still on the table, can you imagine my chock? Then I ate some Uppelcuchen, causing me to grow much too large."

"_Then _what did you do?" Margaret enquired, just as exited as the children.

"I cried." Alice laughed at herself. "I cried up an entire ocean, then I managed to shrink myself again, and almost drowned in my own tears. After a lot of strange things happening; a baby even turned into a pig, mind you, I met the love of my life."

"How romantic!" Margaret squealed. "What was the first thing he said to you?"

"He told me my hair needed cutting." Alice smiled at her sister's befuddled expression. "It probably needed cutting…"

"Alice, sweetling. Did it never occur to you that I was trying to make small talk?" an amused voice came.

"Tarrant! Haven't I told you never to sneak up on a lady like that?" Alice's scolding would have had a greater impact had she not lovingly taken his hand in hers.

"You've told me." Tarrant grinned. "But seeing as you're the lady of my heart, I was hoping you'd might forgive me?" he tilted his head like a puppy dog, beaming at Alice.

"You cur! How can I be mad at you when you do that?" Alice playfully slapped his arm.

"_Twas brillig, and the slithy toves did gyre and gamble in the wabe…_" Tarrant declared.

"I've heard that one before."

"Yes, yes, of course. But you haven't heard the best part." he cleared his throat before continuing. "_Oh, hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms my beamish boy_." Tarrant spread his arm, casually gesturing to Alice to come into them. "_Oh Frabjous Day! Callou! Callay! He chortled in his joy._"

"I'm liking this poem more and more." Alice whispered, nuzzling her face into his neck.

"So am I, fair Alice. So am I."

A giggle, soon followed by others of its kin, caused them to break apart. The group consisting of Isabel, Charles and, surprisingly, Margaret was breaking with muffled laughter, not fully managing to keep their amusement unheard.

"Having fun, are we?" Alice asked, fighting not to let her own amusement shine through.

"No, ma'am." Charles giggled.

"No? Well, that won't just do. Will it, Tarrant?"

"Not at all." Tarrant grinned.

"You know what we'll have to do, right?"

"Of course I do."

Without any warning, they charged, catching one of the happily squealing children each.

"Frightened?" Tarrant asked, poking Isabel's bellybutton.

"No, not a bit, no." the girl giggled.

"You really shouldn't have said that…" Tarrant threw his daughter high up in the air, easily catching her as gravity refused to let her fly. "How about now?"

Much to his surprise, Isabel hugged his face, the best place she could reach from his arms. "I could never be scared of you, daddy." At once sleepy, Isabel yawned widely before falling asleep, clutching a lock of the father's hair in her tiny hand. Carefully planting a kiss on her forehead, Tarrant whispered; "Good night, sweetheart."

Margaret sighed. "I think it's time we leave Underland. Alice…" she hesitated. "Will you be alright?"

"Always. How could I be anything else?"

* * *

><p>Margaret and the rest of her family stood gathered around the curious mirror they'd arrived through, bidding their final Fairfarren.<p>

"Will you come visit us?" Helen asked.

"Of course I will. Really, mother, what do you think of me?" Alice wasn't happy to hear the doubt.

"I'll just miss you Alice, that's all. You remind me of your father…"

"Mrs Kingsleigh, Margaret. Are you ready to leave?" Tarrant asked, gesturing towards the waiting mirror.

"Call me Helen, please. I guess we are." With that they stepped through the mirror, into a whirlpool of colours.

They trashed in a heap in the drawing room. Margaret tuned, just in time to see Alice's waving figure fade out of the mirror.

"Fairfarren, Alice." she smiled, gathering her skirts, then proceeding to help Charles to his feet. "And the best of luck."

She could have sworn she heard Alice laugh at that comment…

**Author's note:**

**Was it worth a bit of a wait? There will be one, maybe two, more chapters, but that's the end of it. I'm actually working on a new Alice-fic already, even though it's not related to this one. I'll let you know when it's up if you'd like. Otherwise, you should keep you eyes open for Alice's Little Tales of Terror. ****No stealing the name! **

**Just thought of this; wouldn't it be neat if there were an Alice in Wonderland-musical, based on this movie? I surely think it would be. **


	24. Witty Witzend

**Author's note:**

**When done reading this, go check out my new story. That's an order. Look, I'll even make Tarrant say it, because no one can resist him!**

**Jenna(me): ****C'mon Tarrant, say it.**

**Tarrant: ****No!**

**Jenna:**** … Please.**

**Tarrant: ****NO.**

**Jenna: ****But I let you get married to Alice…**

**Tarrant: ****Sure, but then you let your followers wait for ages to see how it turned out.**

**Jenna: ****…**

**24. Witty Witzend**

"Why won't you just tell me where we're going?" Alice asked, half-heartedly tried to pry her husband's hands from in front of her eyes.

"Because it's a secret." Tarrant giggled at the sensation of Alice's eyelashes against his skin. Alice, too, giggled at his lacy cuffs brushing her face.

"You're letting Isabel see." Alice pointed out.

"How can you know? You're not cheating, are you?"

"You ought to know; you're the one covering my eyes."

"That I am." there was a short pause as he pushed Alice's blonde locks from her face. "But the champion can be tricky, can't she, Isabel?"

The daughter, latched to his other hand, replied merrily; "Yup!"

"Remove your hand, please?"

"When you say it like that; what else could I do?" Tarrant removed his hand. "Besides; we're here now."

At first; Alice was as good as blinded by the sudden light. If she squinted, she could make out dark shapes, but that was it. It took a few minutes of blinking harshly before she could actually make out anything even remotely alike real objects. With a start, she realised she'd been there before.

"Witzend?" she whispered stupidly.

"Yes." Tarrant spoke softly. "I was going to present you to my family…"

"I thought they were…" Alice's voice trailed off.

"Dead. Yes, they are. But I can still present you."

This made no sense at all to Alice, and she was left trying to work the logic of it out in her mind. Needless to say; she was unsuccessful.

"How is that even possible?" Isabel asked, rescuing Alice from asking.

"I haven't the slightest idea." Tarrant laughed. "I just thought they'd like it if I brought the new Hightopp's here. I know I would have liked it…" A blush crept onto his pale cheeks. "It just seems proper."

"Aren't you going to introduce us?"

"Um… Mother, father. This is my family; my wife Alice, and my daughter Isabel. I wish you could be here to meet them for real. But I wanted to tell you… I'm not alone anymore." the sadness was replaced by a hearty smile. "I'll be fine from now on."

Had not Alice known better; she could have sworn she saw three shadow-figures waving at them before disappearing, a sound of silent laughter hanging in the air.

"Of course you will." Alice hugged her husband. "You have us."

**Author's note:**

**Yes, yes, I know it took forever for me to finish this story. I just get into a writer's block whenever I'm about to conclude a story. Luckily; I had to stay home sick from school today, and that's when my writing returns. And don't worry. There will actually be a sequel **_**and **_**a prequel in a few days time. Bye!**


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